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 The first imagery from the moon is expected a half hour later. William Harwood, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2024 The creation of that dinner fills the first half hour of the story. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Those who drank energy drinks daily slept about a half hour less each night, compared to those who didn't drink energy drinks or had them only occasionally, the researchers report in the current issue of the BMJ Open medical journal. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024 The first pictures are expected within a half hour or so. William Harwood, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2024 Luke notes that delivery drivers also can’t wait a half hour to stop and charge their vehicles. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 2 Feb. 2024 Yet despite all the combat and chase scenes, the pace sometimes drags; episodes that feel flabby at 45 minutes might’ve been more captivating at a half hour. TIME, 1 Feb. 2024 For those keeping score at home, yes, Feb. 11 is indeed Super Bowl Sunday — but their set ends a half hour before kickoff. Aaron Davis, Sacramento Bee, 28 Jan. 2024 For a half hour, a family huddled inside; then young men from the village arrived and threw rocks at the Israelis. Shane Bauer, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'half hour.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near half hour

Cite this Entry

“Half hour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half%20hour. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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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