timer

American  

[tahy-mer] / ˈtaɪ mər /

noun

timers plural

1. a person or thing that times.

2. a person who measures or records time.

3. a device for indicating or measuring elapsed time, as a stopwatch.

4. a device for controlling machinery, appliances, or the like, in a specified way at a predetermined time.

   Please put the roast in the oven and set the timer to cook it for two hours.

5. (in an internal-combustion engine) a set of points actuated by a cam, which causes the spark for igniting the charge at the instant required.

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timer British  

/ ˈtaɪmə /

noun

1. a device for measuring, recording, or indicating time

2. a switch or regulator that causes a mechanism to operate at a specific time or at predetermined intervals

3. a person or thing that times

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• timers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of timer

First recorded in 1490–1500; time + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The timer could include a message that says, “You’ve got five minutes to complete this sale,” or “Enter your credit card now or the price will go up,” Moore said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Again, the egg timer really works only in a single direction.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

"I started doing it on my granny's kitchen floor and begged my mum for a timer mat and cup," Ivy said.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Using a simple remote control, you cycle through six heat levels and can set a timer in one-hour increments.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

I show Zayd where to press the timer.

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• timepiece
• wristwatch