Afternooners

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who typically engage in leisure activities or relaxation during the afternoon hours
2. People who favor social or recreational experiences specifically scheduled for the afternoon period
3. Individuals who identify with or participate in activities aimed at enjoyment or rest in the early part of the evening

Etymology: "Afternooners" is simply the plural of "afternooner," a noun built from "afternoon" plus the agent suffix "-er," the same ending found in "New Yorker" or "teenager." The suffix attaches to a noun to name a person connected with it, so an afternooner is someone who belongs to the afternoon, here meaning someone who favors experiences scheduled for that part of the day. The base word is itself a compound, joining "after" and "noon," and it was formed the same way as the more familiar "forenoon," which describes the time before midday. Together these terms let English speakers divide the day around its midpoint, and "afternooner" adds a personal dimension to that division by naming those who keep such hours as their preference.