Jump To:

• part time
  part time

  noun

  a period of time that is less than full time: PT, P/T
• part-time
  part-time

  adjective

  employed, functioning, or working less than the customary or requisite number of hours.

part time

¹ American  

[pahrt tahym] / ˈpɑrt ˈtaɪm /

noun

1. a period of time that is less than full time: PT, P/T

   Thirty-five hours a week is still considered part time.

---

part-time ² American  

[pahrt-tahym, pahrt-tahym] / ˈpɑrtˌtaɪm, ˈpɑrtˈtaɪm /

adjective

1. employed, functioning, or working less than the customary or requisite number of hours.

   They had only enough money to hire a part-time clerk.

2. lasting, requiring, or being in force only a part of the time.

   part-time employment;

   part-time jobs.

---

adverb

1. on a part-time basis.

   to work part-time.

part-time British  

adjective

1. for less than the entire time appropriate to an activity

   a part-time job

   a part-time waitress

---

adverb

1. on a part-time basis

   he works part time

Other Word Forms

• part-timer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of part time¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Origin of part-time²

First recorded in 1890–95; adjective, adverb use of part time

Explanation

Anything that's part-time is done less often than is typical or average. If you're sick of working full-time hours, try working part-time. Part-time works as an adjective or an adverb, to describe things that don't take up as much time as you might expect, just part of a day or part of a week. If you're a part-time bus driver, you might do it twenty hours each week, in between classes. You could also call yourself a part-time student, or say that you study sociology part-time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

part time part-time

We’re both semi-retired and currently working part time.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

The question is whether Ted, working part time as the assistant manager of a supermarket, is living the best version of himself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

A recent survey conducted by Indeed Flex, a job search site, says almost 30% of retirees are considering part time or temporary work.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

“Tourism has fallen off a cliff,” said Christopher Baker, a British author and tour guide who lives part time in Cuba.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

“Then I had a heart attack and had to give it up. I work part time now. But I know the game. I know the game and I know what you got in here.”

From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers

"I've lived here, my whole life... I won't really feel safe enough to walk around anymore," 17-year-old student and part-time stablehand Dita Jackson told AFP.

From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026

He’s been so rocked by recent tech layoffs over the past few years that he began taking part-time nursing classes at a local community college.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

The incumbent is Dan Lawrence, who has not had many opportunities to show the value of his part-time off-breaks.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

She joined the company in 1987 as a part-time style adviser.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

And he was hoping to go to community college part-time to learn computer programming.

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate