hours
PronouncedOW-erz
nounPeriods of time, each one lasting sixty minutes.
nounThe times when someone must work or be at a place.
nounA distance you can travel in one period of sixty minutes.
nounParticular times or moments.
Syllables
1 syllable
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Silent H
Sound“silent”
In a few words the H is silent — like 'hour', 'honest', and 'exhaust'.
Most H's are sounded (hat, hope), but in a small set of words the H is silent: hour, honest, honor, heir, herb, and after X in exhaust and exhibit. These are memorized.
Tip
An honest hour — the H is silent!
Examples
Phonics Rule: OUR says “ower”
Sound“ower”·/aʊər/
OUR can make the “ower” sound, like in 'hour', 'sour', and 'flour'.
OUR can also say “ower” (like 'ow' + 'er'): hour, sour, flour, scour, devour.
Tip
One hour is sour — hour, sour, flour!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Plural -S (/z/ sound)
Sound“z”·/z/
After a buzzing sound or a vowel, the plural ending says /z/ — like 'dogs' and 'shoes'.
Put a finger on your throat and say 'zzzz' — you feel a buzz. When the word ends in a buzzing (voiced) sound or a vowel, the plural ending buzzes too and says /z/. This happens whether the word is spelled -s (dogs) or -es (shoes, trees), because in shoes the e is silent and only the s is sounded. Most people never notice they are doing this.
Examples
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