golden hour

British

noun

the first hour after a serious accident, when it is crucial that the victim receives medical treatment in order to have a chance of surviving

"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

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.

I screamed through a three-minute roller-coaster ride, saw the Sphere and Strip from 550 feet at golden hour and had an exclusive 66th-floor lounge to myself for happy hour and breakfast.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Now there is a worry they've missed their golden hour.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2024

Shot cinematically, in some never-ending golden hour, the six-episode show follows Wallach around the world as he meets with scientists, activists and the occasional artist and athlete, all of whom are optimistic about the future.

From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2024

The golden hour seems to hang extra long — there’s that “I want to go to L.A. and be an actor,” and that light really speaks to that.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2023

The golden hour of the setting sun cast Audrey’s skin in bronze.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023