moratorium

A halt or cessation, temporary or permanent.

Used in reference to books or movies when a title is going out of print for a set time period. This tactic is sometimes used to increase sales of an item before it is retired. This also increases the value of copies currently available. A large percentage of Disney movies are on moratorium for periods of ten years or more.

See Also: In print, out of print, books, movies, and planned obsolescence.

Mor`a*to"ri*um (?), n. [NL. See Moratory.] (Law)

A period during which an obligor has a legal right to delay meeting an obligation, esp. such a period granted, as to a bank, by a moratory law.

 

© Webster 1913.