quarter hour

noun

1

: fifteen minutes

2

: any of the quarter points of an hour

3

: a unit of academic credit representing an hour of class (such as lecture class) or three hours of laboratory work each week for an academic quarter

Examples of quarter hour in a Sentence

Trains depart every quarter hour.

I waited a quarter hour in line.

Recent Examples on the Web

Church bells ring briefly each quarter hour to sound time, their melodic peals blending with ocean breezes. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026

Using binoculars, begin looking a quarter hour after sundown, low in the west-northwest. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 May 2026

But with the second installment still sloshing around in my memory, my sense of wonder began to wander during this film's three and a quarter hours. — Bob Mondello, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025

Residents will be able to access their everyday needs in just a quarter hour within The Ellinikon’s 15-minute neighborhoods, which should reduce need for motor vehicles. — Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for quarter hour

• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• firepower
• horsepower
• manpower
• mayflower
• safflower
• sunflower
• wallflower
• watchtower

Kids Definition

quarter hour

noun

1

: any of the quarter points of an hour

2

: 15 minutes