prime time

prime-time, primetime

prime time (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Spring.
2. (obsolete) A new period or time of youthfulness; the beginning of something.
3. (television, radio) The block of programming on television during the middle of the evening, usually between 19:00 and 23:00
4. (figuratively) Maturity; the state at which a person or product will be accepted by the mainstream.
   • 2000, Ira Brodsky, Network World, page 18

     It took years longer than proponents had hoped, but wireless data is ready for prime time.

   • 2005, Leanna Stiefel, Measuring School Performance and Efficiency: Implications for Practice and Research, Eye On Education →ISBN, page 13

     Can these measures be regarded as useful, promising, or not ready for prime time? We focus only on the utility of these measures for use by policymakers.

   • 2007, John E. Richardson, Annual Editions: Marketing 08/09 →ISBN

     Now, as more and more businesses re-orient themselves to serve the consumer, ethnography has entered prime time.

   • 2008, J. Richard Kuzmyak, Forecasting Metropolitan Commercial and Freight Travel, Transportation Research Board →ISBN, page 3

     And as with commodity-based models, tour-based models have also not yet reached prime time.

prime time (not comparable)

1. (television, radio) Showing during prime time.

• ready for prime time

From English prime time.

• IPA^(key): /pʁajm tajm/

prime time m (countable and uncountable, plural prime times)

1. (usually uncountable) prime time
2. (Canada, countable) type of cigarillo

• première partie de soirée