The abbreviations AM and PM are used to distinguish the two 12-hour periods in a day.
- AM stands for Ante Meridiem , which is Latin for "before midday" or "before noon." It refers to the time from midnight (12:00 AM) to just before noon (11:59 AM).
- PM stands for Post Meridiem , which means "after midday" or "after noon" in Latin. It covers the time from noon (12:00 PM) to just before midnight (11:59 PM).
Summary:
Abbreviation| Meaning| Time Range
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AM| Before noon| 12:00 midnight to 11:59 AM
PM| After noon| 12:00 noon to 11:59 PM
This system helps to clearly indicate whether a time is in the morning or afternoon/evening.
