American English

How to pronounce o'clock

adverbA1
uhKʰLAHK

/əˈkʰlɑk̚/

2 syllables · Stress the second syllable.

Used after a number from one to twelve to say that it is exactly that hour.

Practice out loud

Meanings & examples

adverb

Used after a number from one to twelve to say that it is exactly that hour.

It is three o'clock.

Good to know

O'clock is short for “of the clock.” Use it for an exact hour, not with minutes: three o'clock, but three thirty.

Common phrases & grammar

at five o'clock · six o'clock