half hour

noun

1

: thirty minutes

2

: the middle point of an hour

half-hourly

ˈhaf-ˈau̇(-ə)r-lē 

ˈhäf-

adverb or adjective

Examples of half hour in a Sentence

Trains depart every half hour.

I waited a half hour in line.

Recent Examples on the Web

If the next half hour comes to pass, that would be 3 PM ET before access opens again (oops, nevermind) and servers go up. —Paul Tassi, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Their home was a half hour’s drive north of Melissa’s hometown of Dulce, New Mexico, on the Jicarilla Apache Nation Reservation. —Veronica Fulton, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024

And for top luxury there is Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto, a larger resort about a half hour from the town, featuring a golf course, spa and a secluded beachfront. —Adam Morganstern, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

The day before the season opener at The Barn, Garcia and senior guard Mike Mitchell Jr., were on the court before any of their teammates and more than a half hour before practice. —Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

half hour

noun

1

: thirty minutes

2

: the middle point of an hour

half-hourly

ˈhaf-ˈau̇(ə)r-lē

ˈhȧf-

adverb or adjective