timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

: one that times: such as

a

: timepiece

especially : a stopwatch for timing races

b

: timekeeper

c

: a device (such as a clock) that indicates by a sound the end of an interval of time or that starts or stops a device at predetermined times

Synonyms

• chronometer
• clock
• timekeeper
• timepiece

Examples of timer in a Sentence

He was the official timer for the race.

She set the timer on the oven for one hour.

The timer is set to go off in 15 minutes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Measure out time with songs, rather than forget to set the timer on your phone. —Hannah Whitaker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024

On April 8 Medusa’s blog listed the appraisal district’s ransom at $100,000, and displayed a timer counting down to a deadline. —Noah Alcala Bach, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing timer

• all-timer
• egg timer
• full-timer
• old-timer
• one-timer

Kids Definition

timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

1

a

: timepiece

b

: timekeeper sense 2

2

: a clocklike device that turns something on or off at a set time or gives a signal at the end of a period of time