timekeeper

noun

time·​keep·​er ˈtīm-ˌkē-pər How to pronounce timekeeper (audio)
1
: a person appointed to mark and announce the time in an athletic game or contest
2
3
: a clerk who keeps records of the time worked by employees
timekeeping noun

Examples of timekeeper in a Sentence

The timekeeper forgot to stop the clock during the team's last time-out. the museum includes some ancient water clocks and sundials in its collection of historical timekeepers
Recent Examples on the Web While the official collection launched in 2002, the models pay homage to a much longer history of military timekeepers with the same DNA. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 2 Oct. 2023 Those metabolic processes appear to be organized fundamentally by the mitochondria, which may very well serve dual roles as the complex cell’s timekeeper and power source. Quanta Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023 The swiveling tourbillon sits in the lower left-hand portion of the dial of the Tourbillon Cardan while your standard timekeeper appears in the upper right-hand portion. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2023 Instead of doing so whenever the two times have slipped by 0.9 seconds, worldwide timekeepers would instead aim for a minute's correction. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Nov. 2023 Today’s most accurate timekeepers are atomic clocks, which count vibrations of a cesium atom—but even these need to be tweaked based on the sun and stars, because the Earth’s spin is gradually slowing. Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023 The watch is instantly recognizable as a Girard-Perregaux timekeeper while reflecting the sculpted contours and sharp lines of Aston Martin’s DB12. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 16 Nov. 2023 Sylvester also cast his father in a small role as the timekeeper. Julie Tremaine, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2023 Circadian rhythms are powerful internal timekeepers that drive a person’s physiological and intellectual functioning throughout the day. Cindi May, Discover Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'timekeeper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of timekeeper was in 1686

Dictionary Entries Near timekeeper

Cite this Entry

“Timekeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/timekeeper. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

timekeeper

noun
time·​keep·​er ˈtīm-ˌkē-pər How to pronounce timekeeper (audio)
1
: a clerk who keeps records of the time worked by employees
2
: an official who keeps track of the playing time in a sports contest

More from Merriam-Webster on timekeeper

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