Meaning & use
playtime
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountableBritish
A break during the school day when children go outside or into a hall to play.
Grammar: Usually singular: at playtime the children ran outside. American schools say recess.
Patterns
- at playtime
- during playtime
The bell rang for playtime and the whole class rushed out to the yard.
He lost his lunch box at playtime.
At playtime they invented a new game with a skipping rope.
noununcountable
A period at home or in a nursery when a child is free to play with toys or with other children.
Grammar: Often used about young children and their parents: it's playtime.
Patterns
- it's playtime
- playtime with someone
After dinner the toddler had playtime with her wooden blocks.
Most parents set aside some playtime before bedtime.
The nursery plans an hour of playtime every morning.
noununcountableinformalhumorous
A time when adults relax or amuse themselves rather than work, often said jokingly.
Grammar: A playful use: it's playtime at the office.
Patterns
- playtime is over
The boss said playtime was over and handed out the new schedule.
After a stressful week, Saturday was playtime for the whole team.
For the engineers, testing the new drone was pure playtime.
Word forms
| plural | playtimes |
|---|
Common combinations
- morning playtime
- Morning playtime lasts fifteen minutes.
- playtime is over
- Playtime is over, so please tidy your toys.
- extra playtime
- The class earned extra playtime for good behavior.
- at playtime
- At playtime the playground was full of noise.
- outdoor playtime
- Outdoor playtime is canceled when it rains.
Synonyms and how they differ
- recess
- Recess is the American word for a school break, while playtime is mostly British and also covers play at home.
- break
- Break is a general word for any rest period, and is used for both students and adults, unlike playtime.
- free time
- Free time means any time without duties and is not tied to children or play.
- breaktime
- Breaktime is a British word for school breaks, and may include snack time, so it is a little broader than playtime.
Opposites
Word family
- play verb
- to take part in games or amusements
- playground noun
- an outdoor area where children play
- playful adjective
- full of fun, or lighthearted
- playmate noun
- a friend a child plays with
Practice
A British parent says, "They lost the ball at _____." What is she referring to?
Choose one answer.
Playtime is the British word for a school break when children play. It is not a lesson or a match.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “playtime”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.