forenoon

Forenoon is a time of day in the morning before noon. It refers to the hours between the early morning and midday, commonly understood as roughly 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., though the exact span can vary by tradition. The term is primarily found in formal, traditional, or literary English and is much less common in everyday American usage today.

Etymology and history: The word combines fore- meaning before and noon, signaling the period before midday. It originated in Old and Middle English and was widely used in British English for centuries. In modern writing, it tends to appear in historical accounts, ceremonial language, or religious contexts.

Usage and style: In contemporary English, speakers generally prefer morning or simply say before noon or in the morning. The phrases this forenoon or in the forenoon are still encountered in older texts or in certain formal or stylized contexts, such as schedules, hymns, or descriptions of events with a ceremonial or antiquarian tone. Beyond literary or historical usage, forenoon is typically avoided in casual speech and standard modern writing.

Relation to other parts of the day: Forenoon contrasts with afternoon, which begins after noon, and with the broader concept of the morning, which may extend into the early hours of the day depending on interpretation. In practice, references to times in the forenoon emphasize events occurring before midday, often in a formal or historic register.