afternoon

[af-ter-noon, ahf-, af-ter-noon, ahf-, af-, ahf-]

noun

1. the time from noon until evening.

2. the latter part.

   the afternoon of life.

adjective

1. pertaining to the latter part of the day.

afternoon

/ ˌɑːftəˈnuːn /

noun

1. 1. the period of the day between noon and evening

   2. ( as modifier )

      afternoon tea

2. a middle or later part

   the afternoon of life

Other Word Forms

• preafternoon noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of afternoon¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; after, noon

Example Sentences

All afternoon, the tension had been building at Chavez Ravine.

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The beleaguered bride, in her dress, perspired through her makeup on a warm afternoon.

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“If Wilson had done his job the first time, justice wouldn’t need a second chance,” she wrote on Facebook on Thursday afternoon.

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During the trial, which lasted six days, the jury heard how Franco was walking with his then-girlfriend on the afternoon of 3 April.

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For one glorious afternoon, oil traders were essentially reverse-panhandling: “Please, sir, take this barrel of West Texas Intermediate. Here’s forty bucks. I insist.”

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