Afternone

Afternone is a neologism used in speculative fiction and worldbuilding to refer to a transitional time after the traditional afternoon, preceding the onset of evening. It is not a standard term in real-world timekeeping.

In many fictional calendars, afternone is described as a twilight period during which daylight fades and artificial lighting becomes common. Its exact timing varies by locale within a story, ranging from a short window of 15 minutes to a longer stretch of up to an hour or more. Because it is a constructed term, different authors may assign different ritual or cultural significance to afternone, such as a time for communal gatherings, curfews, or the cooldown of magical effects.

Etymology: The word afternone appears to be a blend of afternoon and the suffix -one, chosen to evoke a discrete, named period after noon. It is often presented as a cultural or calendrical unit rather than a precise clock time.

Variants and usage: Some worldbuilders treat afternone as distinct from twilight or dusk, while others use it interchangeably with the early evening. In role-playing games, afternone can serve as a narrative cue for tasks that must be completed before night’s hazards arise.

See also: Forenoon, Afternoon, Twilight, Eventide, Nightfall.