Postmeal

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. The time after eating a meal is associated with digestion and a state of relaxation in the body
2. The interval succeeding food consumption involves the onset of digestion and a sense of physical rest
3. The period that follows the ingestion of food is characterized by digestive processes and a feeling of tranquility in the body

Etymology: "Postmeal" is a plain compound: the prefix "post-", meaning "after" (from Latin "post", "behind" or "after"), joined to "meal," the everyday English word for a time of eating. Put together, it names the period that follows a meal, and as an adjective it describes things that happen or are done in that window. The word's appeal lies in how little it needs to say. Anyone who has felt the drowsy warmth of digestion, or who has been asked to avoid strenuous activity after a big lunch, already understands it. The compound does its work in two syllables of ordinary English, with no specialist vocabulary required.