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Definition of four o'clock
four o'clock
Plural:four o'clocks
four o'clock Lexical Profile
CEFR
A1
Grade
2
Tier
1
Usage
Top 5k
• noun
1
The fourth hour of the day or night; exactly four hours after midnight or noon.
Example
"The committee is scheduled to meet in the conference room at four o'clock."
2
A widely cultivated ornamental plant native to tropical regions of the Americas, characterized by fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers that typically open in the late afternoon.
Example
"She planted vibrant pink and yellow four o'clocks along the walkway to enjoy their evening fragrance."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The time designation is a contraction of the Middle English phrase 'foure of the clokke'. The plant species was named in the 16th century for its distinctive botanical habit of blooming in the late afternoon.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Four o'clock. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/four o'clock