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Meaning & use

military time

noun·EverydayAmerican

Last updated

UK/ˈmɪl.ɪ.tər.i taɪm/
US/ˈmɪl.ə.ter.i taɪm/

Meanings

  1. noununcountableAmerican

    A way of telling time that uses 24 hours, with hours counted from 00 to 23.

    Grammar: Uncountable: say 'in military time' or 'military time is...', not 'a military time'.

    Patterns

    • in military time
    • use military time
    • military time is ...

    The flight leaves at 17:45 in military time, which is a quarter to six in the evening.

    Soldiers are trained to read and write military time without mistakes.

    Please give me the schedule in military time so there is no confusion about morning or evening.

  2. noununcountable

    The 24-hour system as used for official schedules, transport, and the armed forces.

    Grammar: Often after 'in' or 'on': 'on a military-time schedule'.

    Patterns

    • on military time
    • switch to military time

    Hospitals often run on military time to avoid errors with medication.

    The station switched to military time on all its departure boards.

Common combinations

in military time
Midnight is written as 0000 in military time.
read military time
New recruits learn to read military time in their first week.
convert to military time
Can you convert 3 p.m. to military time for me?
military time format
The software uses a military time format by default.
on military time
The whole base operates on military time.

Synonyms and how they differ

24-hour clock
The general, international term; 'military time' is the common American name for the same system.
24-hour time
A neutral everyday phrase used in Britain and elsewhere.

Opposites

12-hour clock

Word family

military adjective
Relating to soldiers or the armed forces.

Commonly confused: military time or standard time?

military time vs standard time

Standard time is the official time in a region, as opposed to daylight saving time; it has nothing to do with the 24-hour clock.

Practice

The train departs at 20:15 in military time. What is that on a 12-hour clock?

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