mountain time: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Everyday (in North American contexts)
Quick answer
What does “mountain time” mean?
A standard time zone in North America, observed in regions of the Rocky Mountains and surrounding areas, typically 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-7) during Standard Time and 6 hours behind (UTC-6) during Daylight Saving Time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A standard time zone in North America, observed in regions of the Rocky Mountains and surrounding areas, typically 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-7) during Standard Time and 6 hours behind (UTC-6) during Daylight Saving Time.
Often used to schedule events across time zones, especially for national broadcasts, business calls, or travel planning involving the western interior of North America. Can be referred to specifically as Mountain Standard Time (MST) or Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily a North American term. In British English, it is used only when referring to North American contexts (e.g., scheduling a call with Denver). There is no direct UK equivalent; the UK uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) / British Summer Time (BST).
Connotations
In North America, it connotes the mountainous western interior (e.g., parts of Canada, the US states of Colorado, Arizona, etc.). In the UK, it is a purely geographical/technical descriptor without cultural connotations.
Frequency
Very high frequency in North American English, especially in media, travel, and business. Very low frequency in British English outside specific international contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “mountain time” in a Sentence
[Event/Activity] + is at/in + Mountain Time[Location] + observes/is on + Mountain Timeconvert + [time] + to/from + Mountain TimeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mountain time” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The conference call was mountain-timed for 3 pm their local zone. (Very rare, non-standard)
American English
- [Typically not used as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- The Mountain Time zone observation is consistent in Arizona. (Attributive noun use)
American English
- Please check the Mountain Time schedule for the live stream.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to coordinate meetings and deadlines across North American offices (e.g., 'The webinar starts at 2 PM Mountain Time').
Academic
Used in geography, logistics, and communications studies when discussing time zone systems.
Everyday
Used when making travel plans, watching live TV events, or calling friends/family in relevant regions (e.g., 'Remember, she's two hours behind us, she's on Mountain Time').
Technical
Used in computing, aviation, broadcasting, and logistics for precise scheduling and timestamping (e.g., 'Log files are stamped in Mountain Time').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mountain time”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mountain time”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mountain time”
- Writing it in lowercase ('mountain time').
- Using 'Mountain Time' to refer to any mountainous region globally.
- Confusing it with Pacific or Central Time when scheduling.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, most of Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time (MST) year-round and does not switch to Daylight Saving Time, except for the Navajo Nation.
Mountain Standard Time (MST) is UTC-7. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) is UTC-6 and is used during the warmer months (spring to autumn) in most of the time zone where Daylight Saving is observed.
Mountain Standard Time (MST) is 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-7). During Daylight Saving Time (MDT), it is 6 hours behind (UTC-6).
No, it is a specific designation within the North American time zone system. Other mountainous regions have their own time zones with different names (e.g., Central European Time in the Alps).
A standard time zone in North America, observed in regions of the Rocky Mountains and surrounding areas, typically 7 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-7) during Standard Time and 6 hours behind (UTC-6) during Daylight Saving Time.
Mountain time is usually formal, technical, everyday (in north american contexts) in register.
Mountain time: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmaʊn.tɪn ˈtaɪm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmaʊn.tən ˈtaɪm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms; it is a technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the ROCKY MOUNTAINS. MOUNTAIN TIME is the time zone where those big mountains are.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A LOCATION (e.g., 'We are moving the meeting into Mountain Time').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following cities is most likely to observe Mountain Time?