bankers' hours
C1Informal, slightly humorous, idiomatic
Definition
Meaning
A work schedule perceived as very short or with an unusually late start and early finish.
A term for any limited, lenient, or convenient working hours, often implying a leisurely or undemanding job. Historically, it referred to the traditional banking hours of roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is almost exclusively used idiomatically, typically with a negative or ironic connotation to criticize a short workday. It is less commonly used neutrally to describe actual banking hours today.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The idiom is understood and used in both varieties. The apostrophe placement (bankers' vs. banker's) is variable and not region-specific.
Connotations
In both regions, it carries the same core connotation of ease and privilege, often with a note of envy or criticism.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English, but well-established in British English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to work bankers' hoursto keep bankers' hoursThey operate on bankers' hours.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's on banker's hours.”
- “Keeping bankers' hours, are we?”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used critically in management discussions about productivity or work ethic.
Academic
Rare; might appear in sociological texts about labour or historical studies of professions.
Everyday
Common in informal conversation to comment on someone's perceived light workload.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He seems to bankers'-hour his way through the week, never in before ten.
American English
- You can't banker's-hour this project; we need you available.
adverb
British English
- The office runs bankers' hours, closing sharp at three.
American English
- They work bankers' hours, so don't expect a reply after lunch.
adjective
British English
- He has a bankers'-hours attitude towards the deadline.
American English
- She landed a bankers'-hours gig at the new consultancy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My uncle has a good job with bankers' hours.
- The new manager accused the team of working bankers' hours and demanded more commitment.
- Despite the firm's intense reputation, the partners themselves kept notoriously relaxed bankers' hours, often delegating the grind to junior associates.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BANKER leaving the BANK at 3 p.m. on a Friday while everyone else is still working.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (a limited one, which some professions have more of). PROFESSIONAL SCHEDULE FOR A LIFESTYLE (the schedule defines the job's ease).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'часы банкиров'. It will not convey the idiomatic meaning. The concept of a privileged short workday must be explained.
- Avoid associating it directly with modern Russian banking hours, which may no longer be notably short.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in a positive, non-ironic way (e.g., 'I love my bankers' hours!' – possible but less common).
- Confusing it with 'business hours' (which are standard trading hours).
- Spelling: 'banker hours' (missing apostrophe).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary connotation of 'bankers' hours' in modern use?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not primarily. It is an idiomatic expression based on historical banking hours (c. 10am-3pm). Modern banks often have longer hours, but the phrase lives on to describe any easy schedule.
It is not highly offensive but is often critical or envious. It can be seen as dismissive of someone's work ethic, so careful context is needed.
Yes, but less commonly. It can be used humorously or proudly by someone to describe their favourable work conditions (e.g., 'I finally found a job with bankers' hours!').
Both are used interchangeably. 'Bankers'' (plural possessive) is more etymologically accurate as it refers to the hours of bankers as a class. 'Banker's' (singular possessive) is also very common.