o'clock

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o'clock

  • /əˈklɒk/ UK
  • /əʊˈklɒk/ UK
  • /əˈklɑk/ US
  • /oʊˈklɑk/ US

Rhymes with -ɒk

Where it comes from

Shortened form of "of the clock", from Middle English of the clokke [from late 14th c.].

adverb a clock

  1. not comparable, modifying a numeral In conjunction with a numeral, indicates the time within a twelve-hour period (midnight to noon or noon to midnight), specifically the time when the hour hand of a clock points precisely to the symbol or marking corresponding to the designated numeral, i.e., at the hour. We are expected to be there at six o'clock in the morning!
  2. humorous, informal, not comparable Used to indicate that it is time to do a specific action, or time for a specific action to occur. I'm feeling peckish; I think it must be nearly dinner o'clock.
  3. not comparable, with numeral In conjunction with a numeral, indicates the direction, relative to the speaker or a vehicle, especially an aircraft, corresponding to the direction the hour hand is pointing at the time corresponding to the numeral, with twelve representing directly ahead on a horizontal plane, or directly up on a vertical plane, and three being to the right on either. It's at nine o'clock about two feet in from the edge of the branch. You need to know your "o'clocks" (nondigital) to spot birds.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: time, hour, alarm, atomic, back, chung, count, counting, day, hours, rear, service, timed, watch, around, beat

Translations

Every language

adv indication of time (the translations below are of "one o’clock")

Españoluna en punto
한국어한시 hansi
日本語一時 ichiji
中文一點鐘 /一点钟 yī diǎnzhōng
हिन्दीएक बजा ek bajā
Portuguêsuma hora, uma em ponto (hora)
Françaisune heure
Deutschein Uhr
Italianol'una, l'una in punto, l'una esatta
Ελληνικάμία η ώρα mía i óra
Românăora unu
Русскийчас čas
Tiếng Việtmột giờ
العربيةالسَّاعَة الْوَاحِدَة as-sāʕa al-wāḥida
עבריתהַשָּׁעָה אַחַת hasha'á akhát

adv the translations below are of "at one o’clock"

Española la una, a la una en punto
한국어한시에 hansi-e
日本語一時に ichiji ni
中文一點鐘 /一点钟 yī diǎnzhōng
हिन्दीएक बजे ek baje
Portuguêsà uma (hora)
Françaisà une heure
Deutschum 1 Uhr, um eins
Italianol'una in punto, l'una esatta, all'una
Ελληνικάστις μία η ώρα stis mía i óra
Românăla ora unu
Русскийв час v čas
العربيةالسَّاعَة الْوَاحِدَة as-sāʕa al-wāḥida

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Cite this
MLA

"o'clock." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/o'clock. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

o'clock. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/o'clock

Chicago

"o'clock." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/o'clock.

BibTeX
@misc{o_clock_2026,
  title = {o'clock},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/o'clock},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}