off-hour

[ noun awf-ouuhr, -ou-er, -ouuhr, -ou-er, of-; adjective awf-ouuhr, -ou-er, of- ]

noun

1. an hour or other period when a person is not at a job:

   I spend my off-hours reading.

2. a period outside of rush hours or greatest activity:

   I travel by subway during the off-hours.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or during an off-hour:

   The off-hour traffic will be lighter.

Word History and Origins

Origin of off-hour¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Mr. Haney’s bill, which would probably go to a legislative committee for consideration this spring, would require public and private employers to establish a policy granting workers the right to ignore off-hour communication from their bosses except in the case of emergency, or for scheduling changes affecting the next 24 hours.

From New York Times

He has a narrow margin that he needs to spend every waking off-hour fundraising to preserve.

From Slate

She trained him at home by teaching him to stay on his place — a piece of a yoga mat — and then progressed to practicing at park picnic tables and off-hour coffee shops and restaurants.

From Washington Post

Other alternatives for those looking to hone their skills include off-hour deals: Buying weekday and nighttime lift tickets can cut costs.

From Seattle Times

In response, city officials have taken steps such as promoting off-hour truck deliveries, expanding neighborhood loading zones and working with e-commerce and shipping companies, including Amazon and DHL, to use cargo bikes as an alternative to delivery trucks.

From New York Times