discontinuity
/ˈdɪsˌkɒntɪˈnjuːətɪ/noun
(pl. -ies)
- a distinct break in physical continuity or sequence in time, or sharp difference of characteristics between parts of something（物理连续性或时间顺序上的）不连贯, 间断, 中断; （事物不同部分性质上的）悬殊：
changes in government have resulted in discontinuities in policy
政府更迭导致政策的不连贯
mass noun there is no significant discontinuity between modern and primitive societies.现代社会和原始社会之间并没有明显的间断。
词源
late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin discontinuitas, from discontinuus （see DISCONTINUOUS）.