Phrase guide

post meridiem

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adv

Meaning 1

After noon, in the afternoon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • 1853, John Drew, Manual of Astronomy: A Popular Treatise on Descriptive, Physical, and Practical Astronomy, with a Familiar Explanation of Astronomical Instruments and the Best Methods of Using Them, Second Edition, George Bell, page 237, The civil day begins at midnight, and reckons 12 hours ante meridiem, or before noon, and 12 hours post meridiem, or after noon.
  • 1923, Christopher Morley, The Powder of Sympathy, Doubleday, Page & Company, page 84, We reached that amiable town around two hours post meridiem, exceedingly hungry from our anxieties en route.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

after noon

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: p.m.

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

between noon and midnight

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • let's meet at 8 P.M.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: P.M.

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Medieval Latin post merīdiem, from Latin post (“after”) + merīdiem, accusative singular of merīdiēs (“noon, midday”).