waiting period: Meaning and Definition of

wait'ing pe"riod

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a specified delay, required by law, between officially stating an intention and acting on it, as between securing a marriage license and getting married.
  2. the required delay between the date of inception of a claim and the date on which the indemnity becomes payable, as in workmen's compensation insurance or unemployment insurance.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.