Key Difference: In the English language, there are a lot of abbreviation terms available. Generally, abbreviations are shortened forms of a written word or phrase. On that note, AM and PM are two commonly used terms in English. AM stands for ante meridiem, and it helps to know the time before midday. Whereas, PM stands for post meridiem, and it helps to know the time after midday. In this guide, we will show you the difference between these two terms, AM and PM.
AM: We arrived rail station at 6 AM.
PM: This shop will open up around 7 PM daily.
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AM:
Ante meridiem
As we said earlier, the term AM refers to Ante meridiem. In English, we can translate it as “before midday.” It can be used as an adjective. We all know that a day has 24 hours that can be divided into two segments. The first 12 hours comes under AM and the remaining half comes under PM. In the first twelve hours, from midnight to noon, we consider it as AM. It can be represented as, 6:00 AM, 5:30 am, and 10 A.M. Let’s see a sample sentence to make it clear. The children’s dance show is broadcast from 6 AM to 8 AM.
More Examples:
- Please wake me at 4 AM.
- I have to go to work at 7 AM.
- The car accident happened in the early morning at 2:30 AM.
- The football match begins at 10 am.
- We write exams between 8 am to 11 am.
PM:
Post meridiem
The term PM refers to Post meridiem. We can translate it as “After midday” in English. It can be used as an adjective. Each day has 24 hours. The second half of the 24 hours is noted as PM. The abbreviation AM and PM are derived from Latin. We can represent Post meridiem as, 7:00 PM, 5:30 pm, and 10 P.M. Let’s see an example to understand it easily. She came home at 9 PM after attending her music class.
More Examples:
- She loves to go to the sea at 10 PM.
- I always go to sleep at 11 PM.
- Let’s join us at 8 PM for the family dinner.
- The last bus to my hometown will arrive at 7 PM.
- She will get to the office at 6 PM as it is a night shift week.
Compare: AM Vs PM
This table will show you the contradiction between the words AM and PM.
| AM | PM | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Refers to Ante meridiem. | It refers to Post meridiem. |
| Translation | Before Midday | After Midday |
| Time | 12:00 am (midnight) to 12:00 pm (noon) | 12:00 pm (noon) to 12:00 am (midnight) |
| Denoted as | For example, 6:00 AM, 5:30 am, and 10 A.M | For instance, 7:00 PM, 5:30 pm, and 10 P.M |
| Examples | The meeting will begin from 7 AM to 8 AM, must be ready. We plan to run the workshop today from 6 AM to 11 AM. I usually wake up at 6 AM. They broadcast the show at 8:30 AM. Call me at 11:40 AM, and it will tell you the details. | Every day we go to work at 2 PM. We want to go to the birthday party at 7 PM. Can we meet in the coffee shop at today 6 PM? It is already 10 PM, so we may miss the train. She went upstairs alone at 11 PM. |
Resources and References:
Resources: Cambridge Dictionary (AM, PM), Merriam-Webster (AM, PM), Collins Dictionary (AM, PM), Dictionary.com (AM, PM)
Reference: Dictionary.Cambridge.org[1], Merriam-Webster.com[2], CollinsDictionary.com[3], Dictionary.com[4].