time-killer
|time-kill-er|
🇺🇸
/ˈtaɪmˌkɪlɚ/
🇬🇧
/ˈtaɪmˌkɪlə/
something that fills or wastes spare time
Etymology
'time-killer' originates from Modern English as a compound of the noun 'time' and the agent noun 'killer' (one that kills); formed in colloquial usage to mean something that 'kills' or occupies time.
'time' comes from Old English 'tima' (period, season), from Proto-Germanic '*tīmô'; 'kill' comes from Old English 'cwellan' (to kill) / Proto-Germanic roots meaning 'to strike, slay'. The compound 'time-killer' arose in post-19th to 20th century English as informal/slang usage.
Initially both elements had literal meanings ('time' = a period, 'killer' = one who kills); over time the compound came to mean 'something that uses up or fills time' rather than anything violent.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an activity or thing that fills spare time or helps pass time (often used casually or positively).
Reading short stories is a handy time-killer on the commute.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
something that wastes time or prevents productive use of time (slightly negative).
Watching pointless videos can be a real time-killer if you have work to do.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/12/24 05:52