hour
ow-uh
Hour (noun) means a unit of time equal to sixty minutes, one twenty-fourth of a day. Example: “The flight takes just over an hour.”
noun
1
A unit of time equal to sixty minutes, one twenty-fourth of a day.
"The flight takes just over an hour."
"We waited for nearly an hour before the doctor called us in."
"The meeting lasted an hour, so we missed lunch."
2
A particular point in time, or a moment associated with something significant.
"This was her finest hour."
"In the country's darkest hour, neighbours helped each other with food and shelter."
"The hour of reckoning finally arrived for the team."
3
The current time of day.
"What hour is it?"
"At this late hour the streets were almost completely empty."
"Why are you calling at such an early hour?"
4
A period of time worked, especially as counted for pay.
"She clocked forty hours this week."
"He gets paid by the hour, so overtime really helps."
"Extra hours at the weekend added up on her pay slip."
How to use hour
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSixty minutes — the standard unit for measuring a portion of the day, or (more loosely) a moment or period of time.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
office hours
rush hour
at all hours
an hour's drive
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Word forms
- Plural
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The flight takes just over an _____.
Etymology
From Old French hore, from Latin hora, from Greek hṓra ("time, season"), ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root related to "year." A doublet of "year."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for hour
See all rhymes for hour →Frequently asked questions
What does “hour” mean?
The word “hour” means a unit of time equal to sixty minutes, one twenty-fourth of a day. In plain terms, sixty minutes — the standard unit for measuring a portion of the day, or (more loosely) a moment or period of time.
How do you pronounce “hour”?
“Hour” is pronounced ow-uh (/aʊɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “hour” in a sentence?
Here is “hour” used in a sentence: “The flight takes just over an hour.”
What part of speech is “hour”?
“Hour” is a noun.
Where does the word “hour” come from?
The word “hour” comes from Latin. From Old French hore, from Latin hora, from Greek hṓra ("time, season"), ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root related to "year." A doublet of "year.".
Is “hour” a common word?
“Hour” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “hour” have?
“Hour” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a unit of time equal to sixty minutes, one twenty-fourth of a day.
How many minutes and seconds are in an hour?
An hour contains sixty minutes, and because each minute has sixty seconds, an hour holds 3,600 seconds in total. It is also one twenty-fourth of a day. This sixty-based system comes from the ancient Babylonians, who counted in sixties, and it still shapes how we measure time today.
Why does an hour have 60 minutes instead of 100?
The sixty-minute hour comes from the ancient Babylonians, who used a base-60 counting system. Sixty divides neatly by many numbers — 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and more — which makes it convenient for splitting time into halves, thirds, and quarters. The system endured, so we never switched to a hundred-minute hour.
What is the difference between an hour and an o'clock?
An hour is a length of time — a duration of sixty minutes, as in 'I waited an hour'. An o'clock marks a specific point on the clock, as in 'three o'clock'. One measures how long something lasts; the other tells you when it happens. The two are related but not the same.
What do rush hour and happy hour actually mean?
These phrases use 'hour' loosely to name a period of time rather than exactly sixty minutes. Rush hour is the busy commuting period when roads and transport are crowded, and it often lasts longer than an hour. Happy hour is a time when a bar sells cheaper drinks. Both stretch the literal meaning.
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