Abeyance is a noun that refers to ‘a state of disuse or suspension.’

Our word of the day began in Latin as the word Baer (BUY er) which meant ‘having ones mouth wide open,’ a condition we associate with being suspended or waiting for something. By the late 16th century, the word became adopted into English where its meaning shifted into a state of not being used.

Example: The abeyance of that field put a few ideas in my head. I figured that because it wasn’t being put to use, no one would mind if our soccer team used it to practice.