afternoon English · revision 3780

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=before 1300|origins=en after, en noon}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˌɑːf.təˈnuːn/, US /ˌæf.tɚˈnuːn/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|afternone]],^(MWU 2024) a compound [[af|enm|after|noon]];^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) compare Late Latin post meridiem and French après-midi.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The time from midday to evening: before 1300 in the OED,^(OED 1989) about 1300 in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) and the 13th century in Hoad.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 15th and 16th centuries people said ''at afternoon'';^(Etymonline) the form ''in the afternoon'' dates from about 1600.^(Etymonline) Middle English also had aftermete, the part of the day after the noon meal, from the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline) As an adjective it is from the 1570s.^(Etymonline) The figurative ''afternoon of life'' is from 1594.^(OED 1989) In the 18th century it also meant “procrastinating, slow”,^(OED 1989) and an ''afternoon's man'' (1614) was a tippler.^(OED 1989) ''Afternoons'', “in the afternoon”, is from 1896,^(OED 1989) and ''good afternoon'' as a greeting is recorded in 1921.^(OED 1989) In Shetland and Dorset an ''afternoon'' was a snack eaten in the afternoon.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – the afternoon.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1570s – adjective.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1594 – the afternoon of life.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – ''in the afternoon''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1614 – ''afternoon's man'', a tippler.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1896 – ''afternoons''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The part of the day from [[noon]] until evening.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The later part: ''the afternoon of life''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[afternooner]]

+ * [[midafternoon]]

+ * [[preafternoon]]

+ * [[arvo]]

+ * [[good afternoon]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[forenoon]]

+ * [[afternoons]]

+ * [[after]]

+ * [[noon]]

+ * [[evening]]

+ * [[morning]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}