bedtime

American  

[bed-tahym] / ˈbɛdˌtaɪm /

noun

1. the time at which a person usually goes to bed.

   It's past my bedtime.

2. the time at which a person goes to bed on a particular night.

   I have to get up early tomorrow so bedtime tonight will be 9 o'clock.

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bedtime British  

/ ˈbɛdˌtaɪm /

noun

1. 1. the time when one usually goes to bed

   2. ( as modifier )

      a bedtime story

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Etymology

Origin of bedtime

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; see origin at bed, time

Explanation

Bedtime is the time of the evening or night when you go to sleep. If you want a good excuse to leave a boring party, you can look at your watch and say, "Wow! It's way past my bedtime!" The time you generally go to bed is your bedtime, although you may not have a regular bedtime, just turning in whenever you feel sleepy. Most young children have a set bedtime, which is basically the hour their parents have decided they should go to sleep. If they're lucky, they'll get a bedtime story before the lights are turned off. Bedtime dates from the 13th century, from the Old English bedd and tima, "limited space of time."

Example Sentences

New research from the University of Oulu suggests that wide swings in bedtime may significantly raise the risk of serious cardiovascular events, especially for people who spend less than eight hours in bed.

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

Leaving my phone outside my bedroom didn’t work; there were so many hours of primo scrolling time between 6 p.m. and bedtime.

From Slate • Apr. 26, 2026

The boys usually go to bed at 8:30 p.m. and bedtime for us is 9:30 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Her children sometimes struggle with anxiety at bedtime, and Judd has taught them to breathe using a shorter in-breath and a longer exhale to help calm them.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

Malia comes with us, but she insists on wearing her pajamas since it’s right before her bedtime.

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks