timescale

noun

time·​scale ˈtīm-ˌskāl 

: an arrangement of events used as a measure of the relative or absolute duration or antiquity of a period of history or geologic or cosmic time

Examples of timescale in a Sentence

When considered on the 4.6 billion year timescale of the Earth, our lives can seem insignificant.

What is the timescale for completion of the work?

Recent Examples on the Web

Thinking about that really, really influenced my approach to these pieces in terms of trying to collapse in each piece the timescales of historical influences and contemporary identity, but also the locality. — Stephanie Shih june 17, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026

But their frequency suggests that horizontal gene transfer is a fairly regular occurrence, at least on evolutionary timescales. — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026

Methane traps significantly more heat than carbon dioxide over shorter timescales. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026

Flickering that might have taken place on timescales of days when the light left this quasar was redshifted to months by the time this light reached us. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for timescale

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale

Kids Definition

timescale

noun

time·​scale ˈtīm-ˌskāl 

: an arrangement of events used as a measure of the duration or age of a period of history or geologic or cosmic time