Phrase guide

three o'clock

noun · 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The start of the fourth hour of the day; 3:00 a.m. (03:00).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Qualifier: In both the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock

Examples

  • The front desk closes at three o'clock (= "The front desk closes at 3:00 a.m.").

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The start of the sixteenth hour of the day; 3:00 p.m. (15:00).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Qualifier: Only in the 12-hour clock

Examples

  • The next train comes at three o'clock (= "The next train comes at 15:00").

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

To the right (horizontal clock orientation) (from the location of the 3 mark on a clock face)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, uncountable

Examples

  • We've got a bogey at three o'clock.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اَلسَّاعَة اَلثَّالٰثَة (as-sāʕa ṯ-ṯalāṯa) — the start of the fourth hour
  • Catalan: les tres — the start of the fourth hour
  • Chinese Mandarin: 三點鐘 /三点钟 (sān diǎn zhōng) — the start of the fourth hour
  • Ewe: ga etɔ̃ — the start of the fourth hour
  • Finnish: kolme — the start of the fourth hour
  • Finnish: kello kolme — the start of the fourth hour
  • French: trois heures — the start of the fourth hour
  • German: drei Uhr — the start of the fourth hour
  • Icelandic: klukkan þrjú — the start of the fourth hour
  • Japanese: 三時 (san-ji) — the start of the fourth hour
  • Korean: 세시 (sesi) — the start of the fourth hour
  • Latin: hora tertia — the start of the fourth hour
  • Navajo: táadi azlį́į́ʼ — the start of the fourth hour
  • Ojibwe: niso-diba'igane — the start of the fourth hour
  • Polish: trzecia — the start of the fourth hour
  • Portuguese: três horas — the start of the fourth hour
  • Russian: три часа́ (tri časá) — the start of the fourth hour
  • Spanish: las tres — the start of the fourth hour
  • Swedish: klockan tre — the start of the fourth hour
  • Vietnamese: ba giờ — the start of the fourth hour