plural noun
Hours are periods of 60 minutes.
It took me hours to finish the puzzle.
I've been working for hours without a break.
American English
How to pronounce hours
nounA1Very common word
OWerz
/ˈaʊ.ɚz/
2 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Form of hour
Hours are periods of 60 minutes.
What to listen for
“Hours” has two common pronunciations: /ˈaʊ.ɚz/ with two syllables, or /aʊɹz/ with one syllable. Both are natural American English pronunciations.
Two-syllable form/ˈaʊ.ɚz/
One-syllable form/aʊɹz/
Meanings & examples
plural noun
Hours are the set times when a business, service, or activity is open or available.
The shop is open twenty-four hours a day.
Please call during business hours.
Good to know
This meaning is usually plural, as in store hours.
plural noun
Hours can mean parts of the day, especially early or late parts.
The streets are empty in the early hours.
They arrived in the late hours of the night.
Useful expressions
exactly at the stated hour
The bus leaves on the hour.
the busy time when many people travel to or from work
Traffic is worst during rush hour.
for a long time, with one hour following another
She worked hour after hour.