aprèsmidi

Après-midi, or après-midi in French, refers to the part of the day that follows noon. It designates the period between the early afternoon and the transition toward evening, though the exact boundaries are not fixed and can vary by context, season, and personal or regional habit. In everyday use, the term covers roughly the hours after lunch until late afternoon or early evening.

Etymology and orthography: the word is built from après (after) and midi (noon). In standard French it is written with a hyphen as après-midi. It can function as a noun (l’après-midi, un après-midi) or as a time expression (cet après-midi) meaning this afternoon. The Louisiana or Canadian varieties of French generally maintain the same form, while spoken usage may influence how precisely the hours are interpreted in context.

Usage: l’après-midi is commonly used to talk about activities or schedules occurring after noon, such as meetings, outings, or media programming. For example, Cet après-midi, j’ai un rendez-vous; Le concert est prévu pour l’après-midi. In discussions about time, the division between matin (morning), après-midi, et soir (evening) is largely conventional and can vary by locale, season, or individual routine.

Cultural and practical notes: the distinction between morning, afternoon, and evening is important in scheduling, transportation timetables, and media programming in French-speaking regions. The term also appears in idiomatic expressions and daily life references, reflecting the common human experience of the post-noon part of the day.