What does hourly mean?
Hourly describes something that happens every hour or is measured in units of one hour. It can modify nouns, as in "hourly wage," "hourly rate," and "hourly forecast," or function as an adverb after a verb, meaning "once every hour." The word is used for regular schedules, recurring reports, and prices or payments calculated according to the number of hours involved. In an employment context, an hourly wage usually differs from a salary, which is typically paid for a fixed working period rather than for each hour. Although hourly and every hour are closely related in meaning, hourly is more compact and often sounds more technical, formal, or commercially precise. The term is common in both British and American English and is used in weather reports, transport schedules, media updates, and business pricing.
Happening, occurring, or done every hour, or measured in relation to each hour.
"The company offers an hourly rate for private tutoring."
Common collocations include "hourly wage," "hourly forecast," and "hourly update."
At intervals of one hour; every hour.
"The control room reports the temperature hourly."
Usually placed after the verb it modifies.
Hourly turns the passage of time into a unit of work, reminding us how often something happens—and what it costs.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hourly come from?
The adjective and adverb developed in Middle English from the noun hour with the suffix -ly. The word hour came through Old French from Latin hora, a borrowed Ancient Greek term associated with a fixed period of time. Modern words such as horology and horological continue to reflect the same underlying connection with hours and the measurement of time.
How hourly is actually used
As an adjective, it usually appears before a noun, as in "hourly forecast" or "hourly charge." As an adverb, it describes something done at one-hour intervals. It does not mean that an event lasts for an hour.