horology

American  

[haw-rol-uh-jee, hoh-] / hɔˈrɒl ə dʒi, hoʊ- /

noun

1. the art or science of making timepieces or of measuring time.

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horology British  

/ ˌhɒrəˈlɒdʒɪk, hɒˈrɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the art or science of making timepieces or of measuring time

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horology Scientific  

/ hô-rŏl′ə-jē /

1. The science of measuring time.

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Other Word Forms

• horologic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of horology

1810–20; < Greek hōro- (combining form of hṓra hour ) + -logy

Explanation

Horology is the scientific study of time. Specifically, horology involves the measurement of time and the making of clocks. You need a small leap of imagination to see hour in horology, but if you do, you've pretty much nailed the meaning: it refers to the study of time and the art of making timepieces. In horology, time is studied scientifically, just as a geologist studies the earth and a biologist studies life. Horology is very practical, since it involves the design and construction of clocks, watches, and other devices for measuring time. Someone who studies horology is a horologist.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

horology

The French brand is a bit of an underdog in the field of horology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

“I have other interests that I’ll have more time to explore: food/cooking and my ‘Mitch in the Kitch’ series, travel, golf, horology.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2022

Their clients were mostly tradesfolk in the horology business, for whom aligning their wares with Greenwich was a matter of professional pride.

From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2017

From there, he delved into watch message boards and enthusiast sites, vacuuming up information about watches from tight-knit online communities obsessed with the hardware of horology.

From New York Times ● Jun. 11, 2015

Hugo had come to understand the connection between horology and magic that his father had talked about.

From "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick