noun
Common
meantime
MEEN-tym
Meantime (noun) means the period of time between two events. Example: “The bus arrives soon; in the meantime, let's sit on the bench.”
noun
1
The period of time between two events.
"The bus arrives soon; in the meantime, let's sit on the bench."
"Your room isn't ready, but in the meantime you can leave your bags here."
"The renovation will take a month; in the meantime, we're staying with relatives."
adv
1
During the intervening period; meanwhile.
"Meantime Pope Urban II convoked two councils, one after another."
— Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress (1919)
"Chop the onions. Meantime, I'll heat the oil in the pan."
"The results come next week; meantime, try not to worry."
"Repairs will be done tomorrow so meantime restrain from using the bath."
"Dinner isn't ready yet — meantime, help yourself to some snacks."
How to use meantime
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe time between two things happening, or "during that time" used as an adverb.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
in the meantime
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Word forms
- Plural
- meantimes
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The bus arrives soon; in the _____, let's sit on the bench.
Etymology
From Middle English menetime, a compound of mean ("intermediate") and time; the adverb comes from the phrase "in the meantime".
Synonyms
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Rhymes for meantime
See all rhymes for meantime →Frequently asked questions
What does “meantime” mean?
The word “meantime” means the period of time between two events. In plain terms, the time between two things happening, or "during that time" used as an adverb.
How do you pronounce “meantime”?
“Meantime” is pronounced MEEN-tym (/ˈmiːntaɪm/ in IPA).
How do you use “meantime” in a sentence?
Here is “meantime” used in a sentence: “The renovation will take a month; in the meantime, we're staying with relatives.”
What part of speech is “meantime”?
Depending on how it is used, “meantime” can be a noun and an adverb.
Where does the word “meantime” come from?
The word “meantime” comes from Middle English. From Middle English menetime, a compound of mean ("intermediate") and time; the adverb comes from the phrase "in the meantime".
Is “meantime” a common word?
“Meantime” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “meantime” have?
“Meantime” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the period of time between two events.
What is the difference between meantime and meanwhile?
Both refer to the period between two events, but they behave differently. Meantime is most often a noun in the phrase 'in the meantime,' while meanwhile usually stands alone as an adverb: 'Meanwhile, the guests waited.' Meantime can also be used alone as an adverb, but that use is less common.
Is it 'in the meantime' or 'in the mean time'?
Modern English writes it as one word: in the meantime. The word began as the two-word phrase 'mean time,' but that spacing now survives mainly in the unrelated technical phrase 'Greenwich Mean Time,' where mean means 'average.'
Can meantime start a sentence?
Yes, in its adverb use: 'Meantime, work on the bridge continued.' Many writers prefer 'Meanwhile' or 'In the meantime' at the start of a sentence, but bare 'Meantime' is also correct and is especially common in journalism.
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