VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

rate per hour

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌreɪt pə ˈaʊə/
US/ˌreɪt pər ˈaʊər/

Meanings

  1. phrasecountable

    The amount of money charged or paid for each hour of work or service.

    Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; it can take a plural form 'rates per hour' when talking about different rates.

    Patterns

    • a rate per hour of $20
    • pay someone a rate per hour
    • the rate per hour for something

    The hotel charges a rate per hour for late check-out.

    We agreed on a rate per hour of $15 for the tutoring sessions.

    The rate per hour for parking downtown is higher than in the suburbs.

  2. phrasecountabletechnical

    The speed at which something happens or is produced, measured over each hour.

    Grammar: Often used in scientific or technical contexts to describe a frequency or flow.

    Patterns

    • a rate per hour of X
    • measure the rate per hour
    • the rate per hour at which something happens

    The machine's production rate per hour increased after the upgrade.

    Scientists recorded a rate per hour of 50 heartbeats for the hibernating animal.

    The infection rate per hour dropped once the new measures were introduced.

Word forms

pluralrates per hour

Common combinations

hourly rate
She earns a good hourly rate as a consultant.
rate per hour for
What is the rate per hour for renting a bike?
charge a rate per hour
The lawyer charges a rate per hour of $300.
pay a rate per hour
The company pays a rate per hour that is above minimum wage.

Synonyms and how they differ

hourly rate
More common in everyday speech; 'rate per hour' is slightly more formal and often used in written agreements.
rate
Shorter and more general; you need context to know it is per hour, while 'rate per hour' makes the time unit clear.

Word family

hourly adjective
Happening every hour or paid by the hour.
rate noun
A measure, amount, or speed often expressed as a proportion.

Commonly confused: rate per hour or rate per hour vs. hourly rate?

rate per hour vs rate per hour vs. hourly rate

They mean the same, but 'hourly rate' is the usual phrase in conversation; 'rate per hour' is more formal and common in contracts.

Practice

The mechanic charges a ______ of $80 for labor.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “rate per hour”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words