o'clock

/əˈklɒk/

//əˈklɒk// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"o-clock" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“o'clock” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,716 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#6,716
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In conjunction with a numeral, indicates the time within a twelve-hour period (midnight to noon or noon to midnight), specifically the time when the hour hand of a clock points precisely to the sym...

Key facts for o'clock
PropertyValue
Headwordo'clock
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/əˈklɒk/
Letters7
Frequency rank#6,716
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “o'clock” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). o'clock lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for o'clock is 7 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈklɒk/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,716 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for o'clock, with forms such as "'oclock", "o'cclock", and "o'clcok". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Shortened form of "of the clock", from Middle English of the clokke [from late 14th c.]. The correct English form is o'clock, spelled O-'-C-L-O-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    In conjunction with a numeral, indicates the time within a twelve-hour period (midnight to noon or noon to midnight), specifically the time when the hour hand of a clock points precisely to the symbol or marking corresponding to the designated numeral, i.e., at the hour.
  2. 2
    Used to indicate that it is time to do a specific action, or time for a specific action to occur.
  3. 3
    In conjunction with a numeral, indicates the direction, relative to the speaker or a vehicle, especially an aircraft, corresponding to the direction the hour hand is pointing at the time corresponding to the numeral, with twelve representing directly ahead on a horizontal plane, or directly up on a vertical plane, and three being to the right on either.

Etymology

Shortened form of "of the clock", from Middle English of the clokke [from late 14th c.].

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: 'oclock,o'cclock,o'clcok,o'cllock,o'clocck,o'clockk,o'clokc,o'colck,o'lcock,oc'lock

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of o'clock - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

'oclock2o'cclock1o'clcok2o'cllock1o'clocck1o'clockk1o'clokc2o'colck2
Edit distance from "o'clock"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "o'clock"?
"o'clock" is spelled O-'-C-L-O-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈklɒk/.
What does "o'clock" mean?
As an adverb, "o'clock" means: In conjunction with a numeral, indicates the time within a twelve-hour period (midnight to noon or noon to midnight), specifically the time when the hour hand of a clock points precisely to the sym...
What are common misspellings of "o'clock"?
Common misspellings include "'oclock", "o'cclock", "o'clcok", "o'cllock", "o'clocck". The correct spelling is "o'clock".
How do you pronounce "o'clock"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "o'clock" is /əˈklɒk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "o'clock"?
Shortened form of "of the clock", from Middle English of the clokke [from late 14th c.]. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “o'clock”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-'-C-L-O-C-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈklɒk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list