Phrase guide

oh dark thirty

noun · 1 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.

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Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Some unspecified hour in the early morning (implying an unpleasant time to be awake).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I had to get up at oh dark thirty to catch a plane.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crack of dawn, dark o’clock, stupid o'clock, wee small hours

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From U.S. military terminology, in which hours before 10:00 am are prefixed with a zero, read as "oh", as in 0530, oh five-thirty, for 5:30 am.