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• daylight saving time
  daylight saving time

  noun

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

  noun

  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

daylight saving time

American  

[day-lahyt-say-ving] / ˈdeɪˌlaɪtˈseɪ vɪŋ /

Or daylight-saving time also daylight-savings time

noun

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

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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

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daylight-saving time Scientific  

/ dā′līt-sā′vĭng /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of daylight saving time

First recorded in 1905–10

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

daylight saving time daylight-saving time

Others, including sleep scientists and doctors, have proposed making standard time permanent rather than daylight saving time, saying the move would be better for sleep cycles and reduce health risks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

Of the 51 current members of the House from California — there is one vacancy — 42 backed year-round daylight saving time, namely, 33 Democrats, all eight Republicans and one independent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

Under the House-approved bill, lawmakers in California and other states could opt out of making daylight saving time permanent but would need to decide before the law took effect.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

The Canadian province said that it was permanently moving to year-round daylight saving time in March and would not turn back the clocks to standard time in November.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

There was once a state legislator in Wisconsin who objected to the introduction of daylight saving time despite all the good arguments for it.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

As much as the start of daylight-saving time prompts some economic researchers to raise financial red flags, Shuai, the Chmura vice president, says the real issue goes beyond that.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 6, 2026

Other research has shown a similar financial toll tied to daylight-saving time.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 6, 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 Donald E. (Donald Edward) Keyhoe

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