Meaning of the Word
“AM” and “PM” are abbreviations used to differentiate between the two 12-hour segments of the day in the 12-hour clock system. “AM” refers to the time period from midnight to noon, while “PM” refers to the time period from noon to midnight.
Definitions and Meaning in English
- AM (Ante Meridiem): Refers to the time period from 12:00 midnight to 11:59 in the morning.
- PM (Post Meridiem): Refers to the time period from 12:00 noon to 11:59 at night.
History and Origin
The abbreviations “AM” and “PM” come from Latin:
- AM stands for Ante Meridiem, meaning “before midday.”
- PM stands for Post Meridiem, meaning “after midday.”
This system was first used in ancient Roman times to divide the day into two periods for easier timekeeping, especially in societies dependent on natural light and manual labor.
Detailed Explanation
The 12-hour clock system splits the 24-hour day into two halves, each lasting 12 hours. The “AM” period begins at midnight (00:00) and ends just before noon (12:00). The “PM” period begins at noon and ends just before midnight. This system helps people understand time without needing to use the 24-hour military clock. It is widely used in everyday life in English-speaking and many other countries.
For instance:
- 7:00 AM means 7 o’clock in the morning.
- 7:00 PM means 7 o’clock in the evening.
Example Sentences
- The meeting is scheduled for 9:00 AM tomorrow.
- I usually wake up at 6:30 AM during weekdays.
- Dinner will be served at 8:00 PM tonight.
- Her flight leaves at 5:45 AM, so she has to wake up early.
- The park closes at 10:00 PM on weekends.
- I prefer morning workouts, so I go to the gym at 7:00 AM.
- They reached the station at 11:00 PM, just before midnight.
- The sunrise in winter often occurs around 7:00 AM.
- The store is open from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day.
Synonyms with Short Explanations
- Morning (AM) – Refers to the time from midnight to noon.
- Afternoon (PM) – Refers to the time from noon to evening.
- Evening (PM) – The latter part of the day within the PM timeframe.
- Nighttime (PM) – Refers to the time period late in the PM range.
- Daytime – A general term often encompassing both AM and early PM.
Related Words with Short Explanations
- Midnight – The start of the AM period (12:00 AM).
- Noon – The beginning of the PM period (12:00 PM).
- Timekeeping – The practice of tracking and recording time, using systems like AM and PM.
- Clock – A device used to indicate time, often displaying AM/PM distinctions.
- Meridian – The imaginary line dividing the AM and PM periods.
More Matches with Short Explanations
- Time Zones – Regions that use different time standards but also follow AM/PM.
- 24-Hour Clock – A system without AM/PM, distinguishing time with 00:00 to 23:59.
- Chronology – The sequential order of events, often denoted by time.
- Hour – A unit of time measurement forming the basis of the AM/PM split.
- Daylight – Naturally occurring light used to determine AM and early PM times.
Antonyms
- 24-hour time system
- Military time
- Unspecified time
- Non-segmented time
- Continuous time
