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.
Childress Vineyards Located in Lexington, North Carolina, about a half hour away from High Point, Childress Vineyards calls itself the gateway to the Yadkin Valley. Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025 About a half hour earlier, deputies with the department responded to a weapons disturbance call after a female family member alerted authorities that Lacy had allegedly been involved in a verbal argument with her and had discharged a firearm into the ground. Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025 The fire was put out about a half hour after crews arrived. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2025 Wall Street opened relatively calmly Wednesday, some nine-and-a-half hours into the shutdown. Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 1 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 12 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!