---
title: "Post Meridiem in Elementary Latin"
description: "Post meridiem means “after midday,” the Latin phrase behind PM and time expressions you’ll read, translate, and use in Elementary Latin."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms/post-meridiem"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Elementary Latin"
unit: "Unit 9"
---

# Post Meridiem in Elementary Latin

## Definition

Post meridiem means “after midday” and refers to the time from 12:00 PM through 11:59 PM. In Elementary Latin, it shows how Latin time phrases work and how PM is built from Latin.

## What It Is

Post meridiem is the Latin phrase for “after midday,” and in Elementary Latin it is the source of the abbreviation PM. You see it when Latin uses time expressions that mark the hours after noon, whether in a sentence, a clock reading, or a date-related passage.

The phrase breaks into two parts: post means “after,” and meridiem comes from meridies, meaning “midday” or “noon.” So post meridiem does not mean “evening” by itself. It simply marks the stretch of the day after noon, from 12:00 PM up to 11:59 PM.

This matters in Latin because time words are usually practical, not decorative. A text might refer to something happening at a certain hour, or it might use a phrase like “at 3 PM” in a way that needs to be translated cleanly into English. If you know the Latin pieces, you can tell exactly what the time reference is doing.

Elementary Latin often introduces this alongside other time expressions, since Latin handles time with more than just clock labels. You might also see expressions for “before daylight,” “after the city was founded,” or “by means of” different ablative constructions. Post meridiem fits into that bigger pattern: Latin often expresses time with compact phrases that you need to recognize as a unit.

A common mistake is to treat PM as a random English abbreviation with no Latin meaning. In Latin class, though, the etymology helps you remember that the phrase is built from simple, readable parts. Once you spot post and meridiem, you can decode the phrase even if the sentence around it is unfamiliar.

## Why It Matters

Post meridiem shows up in Elementary Latin because time phrases are one of the easiest places to see Latin vocabulary doing real work. When you translate a passage, notice a schedule in a historical note, or write a simple Latin sentence about the time of day, you need to know that PM points to the period after noon.

It also trains you to read Latin as a language of parts. Instead of memorizing PM as a fixed symbol, you can connect it to post and meridiem and understand how the phrase was built. That makes other time expressions easier too, especially when a text uses a related expression like ante meridiem for the morning.

This term also helps with accuracy. A wrong choice between AM and PM changes the meaning of a sentence, timetable, or class exercise. In a translation or short-answer prompt, getting the time right shows that you noticed the Latin vocabulary and the logic behind it, not just the English abbreviation.

## Connections

### Ante meridiem

Ante meridiem is the matching phrase for the hours before noon. If post meridiem marks the afternoon and evening half of the day, ante meridiem marks the morning half. Latin time language often works as a pair here, so knowing both terms helps you read and translate time references without mixing them up.

### Temporal expressions

Post meridiem is one kind of temporal expression, which is any phrase that tells when something happens. In Latin, temporal expressions can refer to a clock time, a season, a day, or a historical point in time. Recognizing them helps you decide whether a phrase is giving a time, a duration, or a sequence of events.

### Ablative case

The ablative case often appears in Latin expressions of time, especially when you are talking about when something happened or for how long. Post meridiem itself is not just an ablative form, but it sits in the same chapter area because Latin time references often rely on case and prepositional logic. That makes case recognition part of reading time correctly.

### [ante lucem](/elementary-latin/key-terms/ante-lucem)

Ante lucem means “before daylight,” and it gives you a different kind of time reference from post meridiem. One points to a clock-based or daily time after noon, while the other points to a descriptive moment before dawn. Seeing both terms side by side helps you notice how Latin can describe time by the sun, not just by numbers.

## On the AP Exam

A quiz item might ask you to translate a time phrase or choose whether a sentence refers to morning or afternoon. When you see PM in a passage, you should read it as post meridiem and identify it as “after noon.” If a translation question uses a Roman context, keep the time reference precise instead of guessing from English habits.

You may also be asked to break the phrase into parts. Knowing that post means “after” and meridiem means “midday” lets you explain the meaning clearly, not just memorize the abbreviation. In short response or translation work, that detail can earn points because it shows real vocabulary knowledge, not a lucky guess.

## post meridiem vs Ante meridiem

Ante meridiem is the opposite half of the day, meaning “before midday,” or AM. Students often mix them up because both are Latin time abbreviations and both refer to clock time. A quick check is simple: ante = before, post = after. If the time is after noon, it is post meridiem.

## Key Takeaways

- Post meridiem means “after midday,” and it is the Latin source of PM.
- The phrase covers the time from 12:00 PM through 11:59 PM.
- In Elementary Latin, it fits into time expressions and reading clock-based references accurately.
- Knowing the Latin parts, post and meridiem, helps you remember the meaning instead of memorizing the abbreviation alone.
- It pairs naturally with ante meridiem, which means the time before noon.

## FAQs

### What is post meridiem in Elementary Latin?

Post meridiem is the Latin phrase meaning “after midday.” In Elementary Latin, it is the source of PM and is used to identify times from noon through the end of the day. You will usually meet it in time expressions, translations, or simple sentence work.

### Is post meridiem the same as PM?

Yes. PM is the abbreviation for post meridiem. The Latin phrase tells you the meaning behind the abbreviation, so you can connect the time label to the actual words “after midday.”

### How do I remember post meridiem?

Break it into two parts: post means “after,” and meridiem means “midday.” That makes the phrase easy to decode as “after midday.” It also helps you compare it with ante meridiem, where ante means “before.”

### How is post meridiem used in Latin class?

You usually use it when translating or identifying time expressions. It may show up in a sentence with a clock time, in a reading that mentions when something happens, or in a comparison with AM and other Latin time phrases. The main task is to recognize the time accurately.

## Related Study Guides

- [9.7 Time expressions](/elementary-latin/unit-9/time-expressions/study-guide/2cFMzmVB7ufOrur1)
- [6.2 Prepositions with ablative](/elementary-latin/unit-6/prepositions-ablative/study-guide/yRBcTjSbV0VzWGSP)

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