half-hour
UK: ˌhɑːf ˈaʊə | US: ˌhæf ˈaʊɚ
n. a period of thirty minutes
adj. lasting for thirty minutes
The word "half-hour" is a straightforward compound formed by combining "half" (Old English "healf," meaning "partial" or "one of two equal parts") and "hour" (Old French "hore," from Latin "hora," meaning "time unit"). The term emerged in Middle English to denote a 30-minute interval, reflecting the logical division of an hour into two equal segments. Its construction follows the Germanic compounding pattern, where two standalone words merge to create a new, specific meaning.
The meeting will start in a half-hour.
She took a half-hour break to recharge.
The documentary is a half-hour long.
We arrived a half-hour early for the appointment.
The train departs every half-hour during peak times.