Outlook International Desk
It all began when @jenny_nuel1, a fashion designer on Threads, asked: “What’s the meaning of ‘O’ in o🐎’clock?” Her query left many users scratching their heads.
Replies cam🃏e pouring in with guesses like “zero,” “o🎃ida” (a Viennese term for an old person), and “Omega.” However, these were all incorrect!
Some users uncovered the truth: the “O” stands for “of” in “of the clock.” So, when we say “9 o’clock,” it’s actually short for “9 o💖f the clock.”
Back when clocks were first invented, people mainly used sundials. To differentiate, t🐽hey started saying “of the clock” to specify the time by a clock.
According to Britannica, the apostrop🥃he in “o’clock” indicates it’s a shortened form of “of the clock.” It’s a nod to its origins!
Before clocks, sundials were the go-to for telling time. The shadow cast by♋ the s꧑un indicated the hour.
So next t༺ime you check the time, you’ll know that “o’clock” is a charming relic from a time when people needed to distinguish between different ways of telling time!