Standard Lemma guide

betimes

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /bɪˈtaɪmz/
  • UK, US: /bəˈtaɪmz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪmz

1

adv

Meaning 1

In good season or time; early, especially in the morning; seasonably.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

In a short time, soon; quickly, forthwith.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

in good time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he awoke betimes that morning

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: early

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English betymes, from bi (“by”) + time + adverbial -s. By surface analysis, betime + -s (adverbial suffix). Compare also betides.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: навреме (navreme) — in good season or time
  • Bulgarian: своевременно (svoevremenno) — in good season or time
  • Estonian: vara — in good season or time
  • Finnish: aikaisin — in good season or time
  • Finnish: pian — in good season or time
  • German: beizeiten — in good season or time
  • Old Irish: moch — in good season or time
  • Polish: zawczasu — in good season or time
  • Scottish Gaelic: moch — in good season or time
  • Spanish: al alba — in good season or time
  • Swedish: tidigt — in good season or time
  • Turkish: erken — in good season or time
  • Turkish: erkenden — in good season or time
  • Turkish: vaktinde — in good season or time
  • Turkish: zamanında — in good season or time
  • Ottoman Turkish: اركن (erken) — in good season or time