interplay

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁én

Proto-Indo-European *-tér

Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥tér

Proto-Italic *n̥ter

Latin inter

Latin inter-bor.

English inter-

Proto-West Germanic *plehan

Old English pleġan

Proto-West Germanic *plegō

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti

Proto-Germanic *-ōną

Proto-West Germanic *-ōn

Proto-West Germanic *plegōn

Old English plegian

Middle English pleyen

Proto-West Germanic *plegō

Old English plega

Middle English pleye

English play

English interplay

From inter- + play.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (noun) /ˈɪn.tə(ɹ)ˌpleɪ/

• Audio (Southern England); “interplay” (noun):

  (file)

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• IPA^(key): (verb) /ˌɪn.tə(ɹ)ˈpleɪ/

• Audio (Southern England); “interplay” (verb):

  (file)

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

Noun

interplay (countable and uncountable, plural interplays)

1. Interaction; reciprocal relationship.
   • 2011 September 24, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania”, in BBC Sport‎^[1], archived from the original on 1 February 2012:

     Shortly after Cueto completed a hat-trick in the space of 11 minutes, diving over in the left-hand corner once again after more clinical interplay between backs and forwards.

   • 2018 July 3, Ian Sample, “Routine DNA tests will put NHS at the 'forefront of medicine'”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 October 2026:

     Beyond its aim to bring patients the most effective treatments faster, the service is expected to generate a wealth of data on the interplay between DNA, health and lifestyles, which will become a powerful tool for research into cancer and other diseases.

   • 2022 November 21, David Hytner, “England open World Cup in style with Bukayo Saka double in 6-2 rout of Iran”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[3], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 October 2026:

     Southgate wanted to drive the uplift by getting onto the front foot, to pull Iran’s 5-4-1 system out of shape with quick movements and interplay, although there would be a pronounced false start, a break in the early rhythm.

Translations

interaction — see also interaction

• Bulgarian: взаимодействие (bg) n (vzaimodejstvie)
• Danish: samspil n
• Italian: interazione (it) f
• Russian: взаимоде́йствие (ru) n (vzaimodéjstvije)
• Spanish: relación recíproca f
• Swedish: samspel (sv) n
• Ukrainian: взаємоді́я (uk) f (vzajemodíja), взаємоді́яння n (vzajemodíjannja), взаємовпли́в m (vzajemovplýv)

Verb

interplay (third-person singular simple present interplays, present participle interplaying, simple past and past participle interplayed)

1. (intransitive) To interact.

References

• Joe Miller (24 January 2018), “Davos jargon: A crime against the English language?”, in BBC News‎^[4], BBC, archived from the original on 18 September 2026

Anagrams

• painterly, party line