AM, or ante meridiem, is a Latin term that refers to the time period before noon. It is commonly used to indicate the hours on a 12-hour clock, with the time period after noon being referred to as PM, or post meridiem.
One of the primary uses of AM and PM is to specify the time of day for various activities, such as appointments, meetings, and events. For example, if you have a doctor’s appointment at 10 AM, you know that it is scheduled for the morning, before noon. Similarly, if you have a meeting scheduled for 7 PM, you know that it is scheduled for the evening, after noon.
In addition to being used to specify the time of day, AM and PM are also commonly used to indicate the relative time of day in relation to the current time. For example, if it is currently 3 PM, you might say that it is “late afternoon.” Similarly, if it is currently 9 AM, you might say that it is “early morning.”
Definitions:
- AM: Latin term meaning “before noon,” used to indicate the time period before noon on a 12-hour clock
- PM: Latin term meaning “after noon,” used to indicate the time period after noon on a 12-hour clock
5 Examples:
- “I have a dentist appointment at 9 AM tomorrow.”
- “The movie starts at 7 PM, so we should leave at 6:30 to get there on time.”
- “It’s already 2 PM, so we should start thinking about dinner.”
- “The store opens at 10 AM and closes at 9 PM.”
- “I usually wake up at 6 AM, but I set my alarm for 5:30 this morning because I had an early meeting.”
10 Question Quiz:
- What does AM stand for?
- What does PM stand for?
- How is AM used to indicate the time of day?
- How is PM used to indicate the time of day?
- What does it mean if an event is scheduled for 9 AM?
- What does it mean if an event is scheduled for 7 PM?
- If it is currently 3 PM, what time of day is it?
- If it is currently 9 AM, what time of day is it?
- If the store opens at 10 AM and closes at 9 PM, what are the store’s hours?
- If you usually wake up at 6 AM but set your alarm for 5:30 AM, why might you have done this?
