small hours

plural noun

: the early morning hours

Examples of small hours in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Wine and champagne flowed, and jewelry was sold, into the small hours of the morning. Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 July 2023 Most meteor showers are best after midnight, but this one is particularly elusive, peaking in the wee small hours just before dawn. Nicole Clausing, Sunset Magazine, 4 May 2023 Following all-night talks into the small hours of March 28, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and European Council of 27 member states agreed to the new trade defence tool, whose goal is to discourage economic coercion by other nations, including China. Mary Hui, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2023 In fact, a good riddance vibe imbued much of the horn-honking, firework-lighting and air horn-sounding celebrations into the not-so-small hours on Monday in Rome. Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 12 July 2021 All across the city, as the 9 p.m. curfew part of the pandemic restrictions approaches, chairs and tables at bars and cafes that usually remain open until small hours get stacked and stored. New York Times, 8 June 2021 The quiet and warmth of small hours, bodies pressed upon each other as an eyelid flutters open. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 13 Mar. 2021 Some formulas can be premixed and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours, which could save an exhausted mom from having to drowsily scoop powder in the small hours of the night. David Howard, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2020 There’s no dress code, no evening port briefings, and no early morning shore excursions because the bar is up and running until, as Frank Sinatra famously sang it, the wee small hours of the morning. Ellen Uzelac, chicagotribune.com, 26 Nov. 2019 See More

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

1717, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of small hours was in 1717

Dictionary Entries Near small hours

Cite this Entry

“Small hours.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20hours. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

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