office hours

noun

The times, typically from about 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, when non-24/7 office workers are at their desks.

“To request a brochure, please call during office hours.”

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Meanings

nounoffice hours pl (plural only)
  1. pluralplural onlyThe times, typically from about 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, when non-24/7 office workers are at their desks.

    To request a brochure, please call during office hours.

    1 more example

    He cut his Psychology once or twice, nor could he succeed, during office hours, in keeping his mind on office-routine.

    1919, Henry B[lake] Fuller, “Cope Again in the Country”, in Bertram Cope’s Year: A Novel, Chicago, Ill.: Ralph Fletcher Seymour, The Alderbrink Press, →OCLC, page 274
  2. pluralplural onlyA pre-arranged time when a person whose occupation frequently takes them away from their office during working hours is available in their office to answer questions or provide assistance without the requirement for an appointment.

    If you need help with the homework, the professor will be holding office hours on Thursday from 7–9pm.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
business hoursopening hours

Translations

Bulgarian работно време
  • работно време (rabotno vreme)times when office workers are at their desks
Chinese Mandarin 辦公時間 /办公时间, 咨詢時間 /咨询时间
  • 辦公時間 /办公时间 (bàngōng shíjiān)times when office workers are at their desks
  • 咨詢時間 /咨询时间 (zīxún shíjiān)prearranged time when a person is available
Czech úřední hodiny
  • úřední hodinytimes when office workers are at their desks
Dutch kantooruren, spreekuur
  • kantoorurentimes when office workers are at their desks
  • spreekuurprearranged time when a person is available
Finnish toimistotyöaika, toimistoaika
  • toimistotyöaikatimes when office workers are at their desks
  • toimistoaikatimes when office workers are at their desks
  • vastaanottoaikaprearranged time when a person is available
French heures ouvrables, permanence
  • heures ouvrablestimes when office workers are at their desks
  • permanenceprearranged time when a person is available
German Bürozeit, Geschäftszeit
  • Bürozeittimes when office workers are at their desks
  • Geschäftszeittimes when office workers are at their desks
  • Kassenstundentimes when office workers are at their desks
  • Sprechstunden (med.)times when office workers are at their desks
  • Sprechstundeprearranged time when a person is available
  • Bürozeitprearranged time when a person is available
  • Konsultationsstundeprearranged time when a person is available
  • Beratungsterminprearranged time when a person is available
Hungarian (hivatali) munkaidő, fogadóóra
  • (hivatali) munkaidőtimes when office workers are at their desks
  • fogadóóraprearranged time when a person is available
  • félfogadási időprearranged time when a person is available
  • ügyfélfogadási időprearranged time when a person is available
Icelandic viðtalstími
  • viðtalstímiprearranged time when a person is available
Japanese 勤務時間, 質問待機時間
  • 勤務時間 (kinmu jikan)times when office workers are at their desks
  • 質問待機時間 (shitshumon taiki jikan)prearranged time when a person is available
Korean 근무시간, 상담시간
  • 근무시간 (geunmusigan)times when office workers are at their desks
  • 상담시간 (sangdamsigan)prearranged time when a person is available
Persian ساعت کاری
  • ساعت کاریtimes when office workers are at their desks
Portuguese horário comercial, horário de atendimento
  • horário comercialtimes when office workers are at their desks
  • horário de atendimentoprearranged time when a person is available
Russian часы́ присутствия, приёмные часы́
  • часы́ присутствия (časý prisutstvija)prearranged time when a person is available
  • приёмные часы́ (prijómnyje časý)prearranged time when a person is available
Spanish horario de oficina, tutorías
  • horario de oficinatimes when office workers are at their desks
  • tutoríasprearranged time when a person is available
Swedish kontorstid, arbetstid
  • kontorstidtimes when office workers are at their desks
  • arbetstidprearranged time when a person is available
Cite this entry
APA

office hours. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/office%20hours

MLA

“office hours.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/office%20hours. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “office hours,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/office%20hours.

Source: office hours on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.