Atlantic time
noun
See under standard time.
Also called
Atlantic Standard Time.
Origin of Atlantic time
First recorded in 1905–10
Definition for atlantic time (2 of 2)
standard time
noun
the civil time officially adopted for a country or region, usually the civil time of some specific meridian lying within the region. The standard time zones in the U.S. (Atlantic time, Eastern time, Central time, Mountain time, Pacific time, Yukon time, Alaska-Hawaii time, and Bering time) use the civil times of the 60th, 75th, 90th, 105th, 120th, 135th, 150th, and 165th meridians respectively, the difference of time between one zone and the next being exactly one hour.
Origin of standard time
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85
British Dictionary definitions for atlantic time
standard time
noun
the official local time of a region or country determined by the distance from Greenwich of a line of longitude passing through the area
Scientific definitions for atlantic time
standard time
The time in any of the 24 time zones into which the Earth's surface is divided, usually the mean time at the central meridian of the given zone. There are four standard time zones in the contiguous continental United States: Eastern, using the 75th meridian; Central, using the 90th meridian; Mountain, using the 105th meridian; and Pacific, using the 120th meridian. Alaska Standard Time, centered on the 135th meridian, is one hour behind Pacific time, and Hawaii Standard Time, centered on the 150th meridian, is one hour behind Alaska time. See more at daylight-saving time time zone.