Definition

Noun: 1. The officially adopted time for a specific region or zone, based on the mean solar time of a central meridian. This is the uniform time established by law or custom for a country or region, replacing local solar time. It is often divided into time zones, each approximately 15 degrees of longitude wide. 2. The time in effect for most of the year, as opposed to daylight saving time. It refers to the non-daylight-saving time period.

Usage

Standard time is used to coordinate clocks within a geographical area to the same time. It is a singular, uncountable noun when referring to the system, but can be countable when referring to a specific instance (e.g., Eastern Standard Time).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The country switched back to standard time in November.
  • Please check if the meeting is scheduled for Eastern Standard Time or Central Standard Time.
  • Before the adoption of standard time, each town used its own local solar time.

Advanced Usage

• "to be on standard time": to be using the official, non-daylight-saving time.
  • Arizona is permanently on Mountain Standard Time.
• "the return to standard time": the act of setting clocks back, typically in autumn, ending the daylight saving period.
  • The return to standard time means it gets dark earlier in the evening.

Variants and Related Words

• Daylight Saving Time (DST) (n): the practice of advancing clocks during warmer months to extend evening daylight. It is the period opposite to standard time.
  • We are on Daylight Saving Time from March to November.
• Time Zone (n): a region of the globe that observes a uniform standard time.
  • New York is in the Eastern Time Zone.

Synonyms

• Normal time: Informal term for the time outside of daylight saving periods.
• Winter time: Commonly used in some regions (e.g., Europe) to refer to standard time.
• Official time: The legally decreed time for a region.

Antonyms

• Daylight Saving Time (Summer time): The period when clocks are set one hour ahead of standard time.

Related Phrases

• Standard Time Zone: A geographic region within which the same standard time is used.
  • The continental United States has four standard time zones.

Noun

1. the official time in a local region (adjusted for location around the Earth); established by law or custom