Time is an essential part of our lives, and we use it to organize our daily activities. The concept of time is divided into two parts, a.m. and p.m. In this article, we will focus on the meaning of a.m. and its various definitions.
Definitions
The term a.m. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “ante meridiem,” which means “before noon.” It refers to the period of time between midnight and noon. The opposite of a.m. is p.m., which stands for “post meridiem” and refers to the period between noon and midnight.
Origin
The use of a.m. and p.m. originated from the ancient Egyptians, who divided the day into 24 hours. The Romans later adopted this system and divided the day into two parts, a.m. and p.m. The use of a.m. and p.m. became popular in the 16th century when the clock was invented.
Meaning in different dictionaries
The meaning of a.m. is consistent across different dictionaries. It is defined as the period of time between midnight and noon. Some dictionaries also include the definition of “morning” for a.m.
Associations
The term a.m. is commonly associated with the morning hours, which is the time when most people wake up and start their day. It is also associated with the beginning of the workday and the start of school.
Synonyms
Some synonyms for a.m. include “morning,” “early morning,” “dawn,” and “sunrise.”
Antonyms
The antonym of a.m. is p.m., which refers to the period of time between noon and midnight.
The same root words
The root word of a.m. is “meridiem,” which means “midday” in Latin. The phrase “ante meridiem” means “before midday,” and “post meridiem” means “after midday.”
Example Sentences
- I have a meeting at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
- The store opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.
- I woke up early this morning at 6 a.m.
- The class starts at 8 a.m., so don’t be late.
- I prefer to work in the morning, so I wake up at 5 a.m. every day.