half hour

noun

1
: thirty minutes
2
: the middle point of an hour
half-hourly adverb or adjective

Examples of half hour in a Sentence

Trains depart every half hour. I waited a half hour in line.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sprint race takes around a half hour and covers 100 kilometers, which is approximately one-third of a typical Grand Prix distance. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 Riverside staffers seemed unaware and couldn’t find a key to the room for a good half hour. Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025 Cook 1 to 1-and-one-half hours. Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025 The original cut ran nearly two-and-a-half hours, and according to its editor, Ralph Rosenblum, was a shapeless mass of bits, loosely linked by the hero’s relationship with Annie. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for half hour

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of half hour was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Half hour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half%20hour. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

half hour

noun
1
: thirty minutes
2
: the middle point of an hour
half-hourly
ˈhaf-ˈau̇(ə)r-lē
ˈhȧf-
adverb or adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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