English Lexicon

Bankers' hours

/ˈbæŋ.kɚz ˌaʊrz/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #14500 frequency
Full Thesaurus

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A short or convenient workday, typically starting relatively late in the morning and ending early in the afternoon.

    "If you think teaching is just working bankers' hours, you are sorely mistaken."
  2. 2

    The restricted operating hours during which a bank is open to conduct business with the public.

    "Many modern branches have extended beyond traditional bankers' hours to accommodate working professionals."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Originating in the mid-20th century United States, the term references the historically restricted and convenient operating hours of traditional banks (typically 9 AM to 3 PM), which allowed bank employees to work a short and predictable workday compared to other industries. Over time, it evolved into an idiom to describe any work schedule perceived as unusually short, easy, or advantageous.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Bankers' hours"?

10 Global Lexicons: How "Bankers' hours" is said worldwide

Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration

Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Bankers' hours"

Discover exact matches, context-specific alternatives, and antonyms with intensity ratings in the VocabDictionary Thesaurus.

View "Bankers' hours" Synonym Map