clock watch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/Rare/HistoricalHistorical, technical (horology), descriptive
Quick answer
What does “clock watch” mean?
A device, especially a wearable one, that measures and displays the time, combining the functions of a traditional clock and a watch.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A device, especially a wearable one, that measures and displays the time, combining the functions of a traditional clock and a watch.
Historically, refers to early portable timepieces (16th–18th centuries) that blurred the line between a small clock and a large watch; in modern usage, can refer to a timepiece with features of both (e.g., a desk watch, carriage clock, or a modern smartwatch functioning as both a personal and shared time display).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both varieties. Slight preference in British English for historical/antique descriptions.
Connotations
Historical, antique, perhaps quaint or anachronistic.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency. Mostly confined to horology texts, auction catalogues, or historical novels.
Grammar
How to Use “clock watch” in a Sentence
The [adjective] clock watch [verb] on the mantelpiece.He collected [noun phrase] clock watches.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clock watch” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The auction featured a rare 18th-century French clock watch in a gilt case.
- This clock watch is more of a miniature table clock than a pocket watch.
American English
- The museum's collection includes a clock watch owned by a Civil War general.
- He restored the antique clock watch to its original working condition.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Possible in history of technology or material culture studies.
Everyday
Extremely unlikely.
Technical
Used in horology to categorize certain 17th–18th century watches large enough to stand on a table.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clock watch”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “clock watch”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clock watch”
- Using it to refer to a standard modern wristwatch.
- Assuming it is a common compound like 'alarm clock'.
- Hyphenation inconsistency (clock-watch vs. clock watch).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A standard wristwatch is simply called a 'watch'. 'Clock watch' is a specialist term for specific historical hybrids.
A clock is designed to be stationary. A clock watch is a historically portable timepiece, often large for a watch but small for a clock, that could function as either.
It would likely cause confusion. Use 'watch' for personal timepieces and 'clock' for stationary ones. Use 'clock watch' only if discussing antique timepieces.
Usage varies. Both 'clock watch' and 'clock-watch' are seen. In horological texts, the open form (without a hyphen) is common for this established compound.
A device, especially a wearable one, that measures and displays the time, combining the functions of a traditional clock and a watch.
Clock watch is usually historical, technical (horology), descriptive in register.
Clock watch: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklɒk ˌwɒtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklɑːk ˌwɑːtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CLOCK you can WATCH on your wrist – it's a clock-watch hybrid.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A MEASURABLE OBJECT contained in a hybrid device.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'clock watch' most accurately used today?