lapse

Lapse is a noun and verb in English with several related senses. As a noun, it commonly refers to a temporary failure or slip in action, memory, or judgment, such as a lapse in concentration or a memory lapse. It can also denote the expiration or cessation of validity, use, or coverage, as in an insurance policy that lapses after nonpayment, or the lapse of an option when a deadline passes. As a verb, to lapse means to fall or slip from a previous condition, or to pass into a state of inactivity or expiration. A contract or license may lapse when time runs out or conditions are not met.

Time-lapse is a photographic technique in which frames are captured at long intervals to show gradual change over time; the term is often hyphenated as time-lapse.

Etymology: lapse derives from Latin lapsus, meaning a slip or slipping, from labi "to slip." The word has developed a broad semantic field around slipping or passing from one state to another.

In everyday usage, the exact sense is determined by context: a cognitive lapse is a momentary failure of memory or attention; a legal or administrative lapse is the loss of validity due to inaction or expiration; and a time-lapse refers to rapid change captured by sequential photographs or video.