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daylight-saving time

American  
[dey-lahyt-sey-ving] / ˈdeɪˌlaɪtˈseɪ vɪŋ /
Or daylight-savings time

noun

  1. the civil time observed when daylight saving is adopted in a country or community.


daylight-saving time British  

noun

  1. Also called (in the US): daylight time.  time set usually one hour ahead of the local standard time, widely adopted in the summer to provide extra daylight in the evening See also British Summer Time

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

daylight-saving time Scientific  
/ dā′līt-sāvĭng /
  1. Time during which clocks are set one hour or more ahead of standard time to provide more daylight at the end of the working day during late spring, summer, and early fall. First proposed by Benjamin Franklin, daylight saving time was instituted in various countries during both world wars in the 20th century and was made permanent in most of the United States beginning in 1973. Arizona, Hawaii, most of eastern Indiana, and certain US territories and possessions do not observe daylight saving time.


Etymology

Origin of daylight-saving time

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It’s worth noting that, in 2022, the Senate approved a bill for permanent daylight-saving time using a procedure known as unanimous consent.

From MarketWatch Jul. 15, 2026

Meanwhile, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has said the U.S. should eliminate seasonal time changes — but not by locking in daylight-saving time.

From MarketWatch Jul. 15, 2026

And so, daylight-saving time ends on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at 2 a.m., and with it, so does the ability to experience sunlight outside of working hours.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 5, 2022

It is the latest step in the EU’s harmonisation of daylight-saving time first launched in the 1980s in an attempt to prevent divergent approaches from undermining the European single market.

From The Guardian Mar. 26, 2019

The explanation: The airliner would be on daylight-saving time.

From The Flying Saucers are Real by Keyhoe, Donald E. (Donald Edward)

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