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

Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi broke through with little more than a quarter hour to go, slamming a chest-high volley past goaltender Nikola Vasilj to end the deadlock. — Josh Gross, Oc Register, 18 June 2026

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

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

The mega-budget film is earning strong audience exits, including an A CinemaScore, in line with the two previous films — despite its running time of more than three and a quarter hours. — Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 21 Dec. 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