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

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golden hour

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

The golden hour — as it is called — refers to the first 60 minutes after a crash in which critically injured patients have the greatest chance of survival.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2024

Perhaps it’s just that Fulton County golden hour light, blazing in to accentuate every bulge and crevice on the defendants’ faces.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2023

“It should be the golden hour by then, anyway. Perfect for photography.”

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

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