What Does ‘AM’ Stand For In Reference To Time?
The word ‘AM’ is an abbreviation of Latin word ‘ante meridian’ which translates in English as ‘before noon’. There are two famous conventions to keep track of the time: the 12-hour convention and the 24-hour convention. The abbreviation ‘AM’ is used in the 12-hour system. Each day is divided into two equal periods of twelve hours each. The hours are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 0. The noon or the midnight are themselves neither AM or PM. The period AM (before noon) begins at 12:01 at night and last till 11:59 in the morning.
This system of ‘AM’ and ‘PM’ or 12-hour convention system is considered outdated by those who use 24-hour system. They argue the 12-hour system causes confusion; it is less efficient and requires more space to express the same thing.
