playtime
- 01 A2 Elementary
a break during the school day when children go outside to play.
a scheduled interval during the school day for children to engage in outdoor recreation.
Simple“The children ran outside as soon as the bell rang for morning playtime.”
In context“The headteacher decided to extend morning playtime by ten minutes as a reward for the students' hard work during the assembly.”
UsageCommonly used in British and Australian English where American English uses 'recess'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
time set aside for fun and games rather than work.
time allocated for diversion, play, or non-serious activity.
Simple“It is important for puppies to have plenty of playtime with other dogs.”
In context“The developmental psychologist emphasized that unstructured playtime is as critical for cognitive growth as formal classroom instruction.”
SynonymsAntonymsworktime - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
the total length of time a video, song, or film lasts.
the total temporal duration of a piece of recorded media.
Simple“The total playtime of the album is just under forty minutes.”
In context“Although the director's cut features an extended playtime, many critics felt the additional scenes slowed the narrative pace significantly.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
a period when people are not being serious or professional.
a figurative duration characterized by a lack of commitment, professional rigour, or seriousness.
Simple“The manager told the team that playtime was over and they had to focus.”
In context“The CEO made it clear that playtime was over; the company needed to show a profit by the end of the quarter.”
UsageOften used in the idiomatic phrase 'playtime is over' to signal a return to serious work.
Teacher's tipThis sense is almost always used to warn someone that they must start behaving professionally.
Synonymsfooling around
From play + time.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.