sundial vs timer

sundial

noun
  • A device measuring the time of day by the position of a shadow cast by a pole or plate (gnomon) upon an engraved series of marks. 

timer

noun
  • A device used to measure amounts of time. 

  • Any electronic function that causes a device to be able to do something automatically after a preset amount of time. 

  • A person who records the time elapsed in a sporting event. 

  • One who has done something a certain number of times. 

  • One characterized by a certain time or time frame, such as their work hours. 

How often have the words sundial and timer occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )