afterdinner

Afterdinner is a term used to describe activities, items, or occasions that occur after a meal. In dining and hospitality contexts, it often refers to elements served or performed following the main course and dessert, such as afterdinner coffee, digestifs, or mints, as well as to social activities that take place once guests have finished eating.

In practice, afterdinner can function as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, afterdinner describes items or events positioned for the period following a meal, commonly written in a hyphenated form as after-dinner in formal writing. As a noun, it may denote a segment of a gathering dedicated to post-meal entertainment or to a specific post-meal item, such as an afterdinner speaker or an afterdinner mint. Usage patterns vary by region and publication; hyphenated forms are generally preferred in formal contexts.

Common afterdinner activities include speeches, toasts, storytelling, live music, or other entertainment designed to be enjoyed after guests have dined. In culinary and menu planning, afterdinner items often encompass digestive aids, such as liqueurs or coffees, and palate-cleansing treats intended to be savored after dessert. The concept aligns with broader postprandial practices, which emphasize digestion, social interaction, and winding down after a meal.

See also: postprandial, digestif, after-dinner speech, after-dinner mint, toasts.