After learning the meaning of the abbreviations, social media users have been astounded; many people have been guessing and getting them entirely wrong.
One TikToker has the explanation of what A.M. and P.M. mean for people who don’t know.
One viewer comments, “I always thought it meant after morning and past morning,” after discovering what it represents.
“Thank you, but I won’t remember this,” says another.
Another person remarks, “For the time being, I’ll stick with A.M. and P.M.”
“Thought it was after midnight and past midnight,” writes a fourth.
Someone else acknowledges, “I’ve always wondered, learned it, and always forgotten it.”
Some claim that everyone should already be aware of this; one TikToker commented, “This is grade five material.” I’m shocked that people are unaware of this. Very concerning.
“I would be really disappointed if anyone older than five didn’t know that,” a second person agrees. It’s kindergarten, hehe.
The 12-hour clock format, which splits a day’s 24 hours into two periods, is used in nations like the United States, Canada, and Australia. A.M. and P.M. are included in this format, but many people don’t know what they mean.
“The first 12-hour period is designated as A.M.,” explains Time and Day. Midnight to noon is when it operates. The twelve hours between noon and midnight are included in the second period, which is designated P.M.
TikTok Explanation
Laurie Knox posts videos on TikTok that explain linguistics, English language, and “whatever.
He states: “Who wonders what A.M. and P.M. stand for?” in a video that has received over 1.1 million views.
“A.M. stands for ante meridiem, which means before noon in Latin, and P.M. for post meridiem, which means after noon in Latin.”
According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the origin of Greenwich Mean Time, “A.M. is an acronym for the Latin ante meridiem, which means ‘before midday.'” At this moment, the sun has not yet crossed the meridian. Post meridiem, or “after midday,” is what P.M. stands for—that is, after the sun has passed over the meridian.
Did you know the meanings of the letters A.M. and P.M.? Tell us in the comments.
