clock-hour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Administrative
Quick answer
What does “clock-hour” mean?
A period of 60 consecutive minutes, measured by the clock, often used as a standard unit for measuring duration, work, or service.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A period of 60 consecutive minutes, measured by the clock, often used as a standard unit for measuring duration, work, or service.
A unit of measurement in various systems (e.g., academic credit hours, billable hours, flight hours), signifying a scheduled or countable block of time equivalent to one sixtieth of a day.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood but less common in everyday British English compared to American English, where it is standard in academic and professional contexts (e.g., 'credit hour').
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes formality and precision. In UK contexts, 'contact hour' or simply 'hour' may be preferred in academia.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English, particularly in higher education and legal/billing contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “clock-hour” in a Sentence
[Subject] requires [Number] clock-hours of [Activity][Number] clock-hours are required for [Purpose]to bill/charge by the clock-hourVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clock-hour” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pilot needs to clock-hour sufficient simulator time.
- We must clock-hour all client meetings for the audit.
American English
- Students must clock-hour their clinical rotations.
- The firm clocks-hour all paralegal work precisely.
adverb
British English
- The course is taught clock-hour intensively over three weeks.
- She works clock-hour diligently.
American English
- The training is scheduled clock-hour precisely.
- He bills clock-hour accurately.
adjective
British English
- The clock-hour requirement is non-negotiable.
- They offer clock-hour based counselling.
American English
- The clock-hour credit system is standard here.
- We need a clock-hour breakdown of the project.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for billing clients or tracking employee work (e.g., 'The consultant charges $200 per clock-hour').
Academic
Standard for measuring course credits and instructional time (e.g., 'The module requires 45 clock-hours of study').
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; used when emphasizing precise duration (e.g., 'The exam is exactly two clock-hours long').
Technical
Used in aviation (flight hours), therapy/counseling (supervised hours), and legal continuing education.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clock-hour”
- Using 'clock-hour' for approximate time (e.g., 'I'll be there in a clock-hour').
- Confusing 'clock-hour' with 'man-hour', which measures work volume, not just time.
- Omitting the hyphen, making it ambiguous.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A clock-hour is a measured, accountable 60-minute period, often for formal records, billing, or credits. A regular 'hour' can be approximate.
In informal contexts, yes. In professional, academic, or legal contexts where precision and accountability are key, 'clock-hour' is preferred to avoid ambiguity.
The hyphen compounds the two nouns to create a single, specific unit of measurement, distinguishing it from the time shown on a clock (e.g., 'the clock hour was midnight').
Yes, but it is less common than in American English. Terms like 'contact hour' or structured uses of 'hour' are often used in similar UK contexts (e.g., education).
A period of 60 consecutive minutes, measured by the clock, often used as a standard unit for measuring duration, work, or service.
Clock-hour is usually formal, technical, administrative in register.
Clock-hour: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklɒk aʊə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklɑːk aʊər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the clock”
- “against the clock”
- “put in your hours”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CLOCK counting each HOUR precisely, unlike just any hour of the day. A 'clock-hour' is time the clock is watching.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A MEASURABLE COMMODITY (e.g., spending, saving, investing clock-hours).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'clock-hour' LEAST likely to be used?