schedule
SHED-yool
/ˈʃedjuːl/
A plan that gives expected times for events or arrival and departure of transit vehicles.
Specifies time commitments and fixed timetable operations.
The story behind the word. Traced back to Late Latin 'schedula' (a small slip of paper or scroll note), derived from Greek 'schida' (splinter). It evolved to mean written notes listing planned activities.
Word relationships
- timetable: 'Timetable' is specifically used for transport schedules in British English.
Commonly confused with
- delay: A schedule is the planned timetable, while a delay is a deviation from that plan.
Word family
- reschedule (verb): To change the planned time of an event.
Collocations
- on schedule
- behind schedule
- train schedule
- tight schedule
Example sentences
- "According to the official schedule, the next train should arrive in five minutes." Train timetables
- "Heavy snowfall forced the transit agency to operate on a reduced winter schedule." Service disruptions
Memory hook
SCHED-ule keeps SCHOOL and transit times in check. Your written roadmap for time.
When not to use
Do not use to describe physical geographic locations.
Fun facts
- In American English it is pronounced 'SKED-jool', while British English traditionally uses 'SHED-yool'.
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