cocktail hour

American  

noun

1. the interval before the evening meal during which cocktails and other alcoholic beverages are often served.

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Etymology

Origin of cocktail hour

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

A complex cider with enough of a tart kick to enliven any cocktail hour.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Vincent met Brian Kaspar at a cocktail hour for high-yield fundraisers.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2025

Youth and experience attend the same cocktail hour, and both leave early — one, to not miss the last bus to the Eastside; the other, to be well rested for 7 a.m. hot Pilates.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2024

Guests vying to play outdoor games during cocktail hour will be greeted with a sign reading, “Baby, let the games begin” in a reference to Swift’s song “…Ready For It?”

From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2023

“It’s only three days,” she told Bridge, “but you wouldn’t believe the number of events—we’re playing at the rehearsal dinner, the prewedding cocktail hour, the ceremony, and then—get this—there’s a high tea the day after.”

From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead