Afternooner

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A participant engaged in leisure activities or social gatherings during the time between noon and evening
2. One who frequently takes part in events or relaxation periods occurring in the hours after midday
3. An individual who enjoys or is accustomed to spending time in recreational pursuits during the afternoon hours

Etymology: "Afternooner" is a plain English formation: the noun "afternoon" with the agentive suffix "-er" attached, producing a word for someone who does something during the afternoon. The suffix works the same way as in "Sunday" giving "Sunday-er" or "pooler" from "pool", so the pattern is productive and easy to recognize. The "-er" ending is the familiar English agent suffix, descended from Old English "-ere", which turned verbs and nouns into words for people who carry out an action or belong to a category. Attaching it to a time-of-day noun is less common than attaching it to verbs such as "walker" or "writer", which is part of what makes this formation feel playful. The word is best understood as a coinage built on demand rather than a traditional vocabulary item. Its meaning follows directly from its parts: the person whose leisure or social life is tied to the middle of the day, between noon and evening.

Synonyms: daytime worker, late riser