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military time

American  
[mil-i-ter-ee tahym] / ˈmɪl ɪˌtɛr i ˌtaɪm /

noun

  1. Military. time as reckoned over 24 hours, in which hours in the day are numbered from 0 to 24: in speech, often followed by hundred when the time is on the hour, and preceded by zero when the hour is a single digit.

    We leave at five in the morning or, in military time, zero five hundred.

    The message came through at 17:30 military time.

  2. twenty-four-hour clock.


Etymology

Origin of military time

First recorded in 1945–50

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:

The Navy in early February appealed that order, and at the time Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said the appeal would give the military time “to make evidence-based and transparent decisions.”

From Seattle Times Mar. 7, 2022

The two red paper fliers appeared on Nov. 13, 2021, and even included, in military time, when they were posted on the building, 13:08 hours.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 29, 2022

On April 13, 1970, two days after launch, an oxygen tank exploded on board Apollo 13 at 13:13 military time, 1:13 p.m.

From Washington Times Apr. 18, 2020

“Schedule is good for 1600 run tomorrow,” he wrote back, using the military time for 4 p.m.

From Washington Post Apr. 25, 2016

“No, at twenty-two hundred hours. That’s military time for ten o’clock p.m.”

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

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