little hours: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowLiterary, Religious, Formal
Quick answer
What does “little hours” mean?
The early hours of the morning, especially after midnight and before dawn.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The early hours of the morning, especially after midnight and before dawn.
A fixed period of prayer in Christian liturgy, specifically the canonical hours of Prime, Terce, Sext, and None, traditionally said during the daytime.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical, but the religious meaning is more likely to be recognised in contexts with a strong Christian cultural history, such as the UK or parts of the US.
Connotations
Evokes a sense of stillness, vulnerability, or sacred time. In secular use, it often implies being awake when most people are asleep.
Frequency
Rare in everyday conversation; most common in literary or historical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “little hours” in a Sentence
prepositional phrase (e.g., in the little hours)subject/object of a verb (e.g., The little hours passed silently.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or religious studies texts.
Everyday
Very rare; might be used for poetic effect.
Technical
Specific term in liturgy and church history.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “little hours”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “little hours”
- Using 'little hour' (singular).
- Confusing it with 'lunch hour' or 'happy hour'.
- Misinterpreting it as a short duration (e.g., 'a little hours' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It refers to a specific time of day (very early morning), not a short duration. The 'little' suggests the early, young part of the day.
It would sound very literary or old-fashioned. Most native speakers would say 'the early hours', 'the wee hours', or simply 'really early in the morning'.
No, they are synonymous fixed phrases. 'Small hours' is perhaps slightly more common in modern British English.
They are called 'little' (or 'minor') to distinguish them from the major hours of prayer like Matins and Vespers. They are shorter services.
The early hours of the morning, especially after midnight and before dawn.
Little hours is usually literary, religious, formal in register.
Little hours: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɪt.l̩ ˈaʊəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɪt.l̩ ˈaʊɚz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “burning the midnight oil (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'little' as meaning 'young' or 'early' in the day's life, and 'hours' as the time units. So, the 'little hours' are the day's infancy.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME OF DAY IS A LIFESPAN (the early morning is childhood/ infancy).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'the little hours' MOST likely be used?