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local time

local time

23 1.6
Official clock time used in a place because of its time zone
  • noun
  • /ˈloʊkəl taɪm/
translation icon : hora local
  • Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to be the first to welcome you to Cincinnati, where the local time is 7:43 p.m., and the temperature is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • a.m. local time

Examples

  • We'll get to Bangkok at roughly three o'clock in the afternoon local time on Sunday.

    Blog text (25)
  • The local time now is 2:22 P.M.

  • Leo will rise in the east around midnight local time.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Events in the calendar below are given in local time unless otherwise indicated.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Welcome to Los Angeles, where the local time is 10:37.

  • The earthquake struck four hours ago, at 7:25 AM local time.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • The nationwide community sing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" will be at 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday, September 14.

    Academic text (2010)
  • That'll put us on the gate in San Francisco on time or a little bit early, maybe a little bit before 11:00 local time.

  • Ladies and gentlemen, as we start our descent into Baton Rouge, local time is 3:00 PM, and temperature is a cool 65 degrees.

  • Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New York's JFK, where the local time is currently 2:21 in the afternoon.

Synonyms

standard time
vslocal time
2 3.0

Official time used in a region instead of daylight saving time

is defined by region location relative to Earth, not by a single meridian focus
civil time
vslocal time
4.2

Time officially used in a region for everyday activities

is set according to the region's geographic position rather than only legal use
LST
vslocal time
8.2

The standard clock time for a region not adjusted for daylight saving

is official regional time that may be adjusted for daylight saving changes

Antonyms

Universal Time
  • Specialized
1 4.8

Time at Greenwich, England that countries use as the world time standard

Surface Forms

local time singular
local times plural

Morphology

local + time

The meaning 'the official time observed in a specific region' is directly derivable from combining 'local' (pertaining to a particular place) with 'time' (clock or measured moments). This is a common compositional pattern found across many languages (e.g., Spanish 'hora local', French 'heure locale'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

Local time comes from the old habit of each town setting its clocks by the sun, so every place had its own local time. So the phrase now means the official 'time' used in a particular place, even if it is different from other places.