timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

: one that times: such as

a

: timepiece

especially : a stopwatch for timing races

b

: timekeeper

c

: a device (such as a clock) that indicates by a sound the end of an interval of time or that starts or stops a device at predetermined times

Synonyms

• chronometer
• clock
• timekeeper
• timepiece

Examples of timer in a Sentence

He was the official timer for the race.

She set the timer on the oven for one hour.

The timer is set to go off in 15 minutes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Another old timer, Brewery Bar II, 150 Kalamath St., handsomely beat La Loma on 1801 Broadway with 56% of the vote. —Miguel Otárola, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2025

Set the phone timer and throw the phone in a drawer. —Brenda Abdilla, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025

With a first timer, for us, the budgets tend to be smaller and there’s a lot of weight that is put on producers to be incredible partners and shepherds. —Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025

Jan Murtagh, president of CDN, which is based in Portland, Ore., was down the row on the exhibition center floor displaying the company's digital thermometers, scales and timers for home kitchens, restaurants and the food service industry. —David Schaper, NPR, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing timer

• all-timer
• egg timer
• full-timer
• old-timer
• one-timer

Rhymes for timer

• climber
• dimer
• eimer
• primer
• rhymer
• alzheimer
• heterodimer

Kids Definition

timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

1

a

: timepiece

b

: timekeeper sense 2

2

: a clocklike device that turns something on or off at a set time or gives a signal at the end of a period of time