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Meaning of ante meridiem in English:

ante meridiem

adverb

  • Before midday; applied to the hours between midnight and the following noon. Usually abbreviated a.m., a.m., or am.

Pronunciation

ante meridiem

/ˌanti mɪˈrɪdɪəm/ /ˌanteɪ mɪˈrɪdɪəm/

Origin

Mid 16th century; earliest use found in John Dee (1527–1609), mathematician, astrologer, and antiquary. From classical Latin ante merīdiem before midday from ante before + merīdiem, accusative of merīdiēs noon.