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UEnglish Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Difference between afternoon and evening?

 
Hello everyone,
 
I am confused about the terms 'afternoon' and 'evening'. 
 
After checking online, I have found the following definitions:
   - afternoon = the time from noon until evening.
   - evening = the time from noon until sunset. 
So logically it would be noon - afternoon - evening - sunset
The part where I am confused is that afternoon and evening start from noon.  
I could say "It's 1 hour in the evening" which would mean the same as "It's 1 hour in the afternoon".
 
I do not understand this concept fully.
 
Thanks,
 
--
uEnglish
  

Top answer

Hi, My Oxford dictionnary states the following: Evening: The end part of the day, esp. from about 6pm, or sunset if earlier, to bedtime. Therefore, you can logically assume that : noon, afternoon, evening, (sunset), night.

— Anonymous

  • Hi, My Oxford dictionnary states the following: Evening: The end part of the day, esp.
  • from about 6pm, or sunset if earlier, to bedtime.
  • Therefore, you can logically assume that : noon, afternoon, evening, (sunset), night.
  • Hope it helps!
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16 Answers
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Hi,

My Oxford dictionnary states the following:

Evening: The end part of the day, esp. from about 6pm, or sunset if earlier, to bedtime.

Therefore, you can logically assume that : noon, afternoon, evening, (sunset), night.

Hope it helps!
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Hi,
I am confused about the terms 'afternoon' and 'evening'. 
 
After checking online, I have found the following definitions:
   - afternoon = the time from noon until evening.
   - evening = the time from noon until sunset. <<< This definition is incorrect.
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Thank you Clive and Anonymous.

So a particular definition here is incorrect?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/evening
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Hi,

Your link temporarily does not work when I click on it.

However, I see that your definition says 'dialect (Southern US), (Brit)'.

Maybe they use that meaning in parts of the Southern US. I don't know.

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uEnglish

Hello everyone,

I am confused about the terms 'afternoon' and 'evening'.

After checking online, I have found the following definitions:
- afternoon = the time from noon until evening.
- evening = the time from noon until sunset.
So logically it would be noon - afternoon - evening - sunset
The part where I am confused
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Maybe a spontaneous guess, but could the etymology of 'night' possibly be the negation of 'light' (n(o) (l)ight)?
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uEnglishMaybe a spontaneous guess, but could the etymology of 'night' possibly be the negation of 'light' (n(o) (l)ight)?
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Proto-Germanic/nahts
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The term afternoon relates to specific clock times, after noon (12 pm) until around 5. or 6 pm.
It does not relate to daylight or sunset at all as in mid winter in the British Isles the sun may set around 4 pm or earlier, so it could be fully dark yet still be afternoon.
Neither does it relate specifically to mealtimes as different social groups eat at different times, some have the last
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uEnglishcould the etymology of 'night' possibly be the negation of 'light' (n(o) (l)ight)?
No. The similarity of the modern-day words 'light' and 'night' comes about through coincidence in the historical changes to the Proto-Indo-European roots leuk and nekwt. You can see that the initial l and n are preserved, and the ks s
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Just keep it simple - afternoon is after mid-day until sunset and evening is a greeting after sunset. Good night is saying goodbye or wishing someone a restful sleep.
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