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• part time
  part time

  noun

  a period of time that is less than full time: PT, P/T
• part-time
  part-time

  adjective

  employed, functioning, or working less than the customary or requisite number of hours.

part time

¹ American  

[pahrt tahym] / ˈpɑrt ˈtaɪm /

noun

1. a period of time that is less than full time: PT, P/T

   Thirty-five hours a week is still considered part time.

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part-time ² American  

[pahrt-tahym, pahrt-tahym] / ˈpɑrtˌtaɪm, ˈpɑrtˈtaɪm /

adjective

1. employed, functioning, or working less than the customary or requisite number of hours.

   They had only enough money to hire a part-time clerk.

2. lasting, requiring, or being in force only a part of the time.

   part-time employment;

   part-time jobs.

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adverb

1. on a part-time basis.

   to work part-time.

part-time British  

adjective

1. for less than the entire time appropriate to an activity

   a part-time job

   a part-time waitress

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adverb

1. on a part-time basis

   he works part time

Other Word Forms

• part-timer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of part time¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Origin of part-time²

First recorded in 1890–95; adjective, adverb use of part time

Explanation

Anything that's part-time is done less often than is typical or average. If you're sick of working full-time hours, try working part-time. Part-time works as an adjective or an adverb, to describe things that don't take up as much time as you might expect, just part of a day or part of a week. If you're a part-time bus driver, you might do it twenty hours each week, in between classes. You could also call yourself a part-time student, or say that you study sociology part-time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

part time part-time

One of Lee’s goals now is to save enough money to go to college out-of-state without having to work part time while in school.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

A recent survey conducted by Indeed Flex, a job search site, says almost 30% of retirees are considering part time or temporary work.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Gelfond recently returned to work part time after taking medical leave due to a serious bout of pneumonia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Will I get more money if I work part time?

From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026

They are going to pay me evry week like for a part time job because that was part of the arraingment when they got the mony from the Welberg foundashun.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Those typically include Social Security, distributions from retirement accounts, a pension and even a part-time job or freelance gig that brings in a little extra cash.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

All incoming full-time students will now receive a $16,000 scholarship, with part-time students receiving $12,500.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

For some, the “if” might be part-time work, or flexible work, or remote work; for others it might be a higher-paying job.

From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026

In its latest triumph, Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old former attorney and part-time barista, stunned one of the party's longest-serving lawmakers Tuesday, defeating Diana DeGette in a Denver-based House district.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

Dad made a better part-time father than a full-time one.

From "George" by Alex Gino