Hour and our are two words that are pronounced in the same way but are spelled differently and have different meanings. They are homophones. We’ll look at the definitions of hour and our, where the words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
An hour is a measurement of time. An hour is sixty minutes long, or one twenty-fourth of a day. The word hour may also be used to indicate a certain time of day according to the clock or a certain period of time that is allotted for a particular activity. Hour is also often used to describe the distance someone may travel in that period of time. The word hour is derived from the Greek word hōra, which means season.
Our means belonging or involving the speaker in addition to others, belonging or involving us. Our may also be used when referring in general to a large group to which the speaker belongs, such as the residents of a town, employees of a company or all of humanity. Our is a possessive determiner, which is a pronoun that is placed before a noun in order to indicate possession or belonging. The word our is derived from the Old English word ure, which means having to do with us.
Examples
Rescuers finally reached the men by helicopter and abseiled them to safety on Tuesday morning, ending an 11-hour mission to save them. (The Telegraph)
The benefit, dubbed “Faith Through the Fire” featured raffles and silent auctions, but the big draw for most was the man of the hour. (The Appleton Post-Crescent)
On our island of just 529 people in the Inland Sea, we have one post office and one bank. (The Japan Times)
In the aftermath of an explosive device going off in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York last weekend, and other attacks in cities throughout the world, we recognize that the security of all our residents is paramount in large, open, democratic societies. (The New York Times)