daylight saving

American  

Or daylight savings

noun

1. the practice of advancing standard time by one hour in the spring of each year and of setting it back by one hour in the fall in order to gain an extra period of daylight during the early evening.

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Etymology

Origin of daylight saving

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Although originally a wartime measure, daylight saving became a lasting feature in many countries, continuing to shape daily routines, work patterns, and how people experience daylight throughout the year.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

A 2025 Gallup poll found that the majority of Americans say they are ready to do away with the time shift, with 48% preferring standard time year round and 24% preferring daylight saving year round.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026

In 2018, California voters approved Proposition 7, which would allow the state Legislature to approve either permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time — eliminating the annual time shifts — with a two-thirds vote.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2025

Every fall, Americans are plunged into darkness an hour earlier when the clocks turn back at the end of daylight saving time.

From Slate • Oct. 31, 2025

There was once a state legislator in Wisconsin who objected to the introduction of daylight saving time despite all the good arguments for it.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos