pm
/ˌpiː ˈem/ (bre, ipa) · [pˈiˈɛm] /ˌpiː ˈem/ (ame, ipa)
pm — abbreviation
1. written abbreviation for 'post meridiem' in Latin, meaning after noon; used with
written abbreviation for 'post meridiem' in Latin, meaning after noon; used with times from 12:00 in the middle of the day to 11:59 at night, to show that you are talking about the afternoon, evening, or night rather than the morning.
Hugo's flight arrives at 10:15 pm tonight, so we can pick him up after dinner.
time notation: [hour] + pm
The library closes at 6 pm on Fridays during the summer holidays.
Élise has a dentist appointment at 3:30 pm on Tuesday afternoon.
The market is open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm every day of the week.
- am
used for times before noon (midnight to 11:59 in the morning)
文法句型
[number] + pm
用法筆記
In informal writing, 'p.m.' with dots or 'pm' without dots are both common. On schedules and digital clocks, 'PM' in capital letters is standard. The 12-hour clock system using am/pm is common in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, while many other countries use the 24-hour clock.
常見錯誤
2. written abbreviation for 'prime minister', used as a title before a person's nam
written abbreviation for 'prime minister', used as a title before a person's name in newspapers, official documents, and captions.
PM Tariq addressed the nation after the election results were announced.
title use: PM + [name]
The newspaper headline read: "PM Reema visits flood-affected areas."
PM Haruto will meet with foreign leaders at the summit next month.
A spokesperson for PM Yan confirmed the meeting was postponed.
文法句型
PM + [name]
the PM
用法筆記
This abbreviation sense is a title used directly before a name (e.g., PM Sunak). When talking about the position in ordinary speech or writing using articles ('the PM', 'a new PM'), use the noun sense instead — it follows normal noun grammar patterns.
3. written abbreviation for 'particulate matter'; extremely small pieces of dust, s
written abbreviation for 'particulate matter'; extremely small pieces of dust, soot, smoke, or liquid droplets floating in the air, especially when measuring air pollution.
PM2.5 levels in Hanoi reached dangerous levels during the dry season.
followed by size number: PM2.5, PM10
The government issued a warning when PM concentrations exceeded the safety limit.
Hoa checked the daily PM index before deciding to go for a run outside.
Scientists measure PM levels to understand how air pollution affects people's health.
文法句型
PM + [size number]
PM levels
用法筆記
PM is always followed by a number that indicates the size of the particles in micrometres. PM2.5 refers to particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres (the most dangerous for human health). PM10 refers to larger particles up to 10 micrometres.
4. written abbreviation for 'premium', used in financial and insurance contexts to
written abbreviation for 'premium', used in financial and insurance contexts to mean the regular payment made for an insurance policy, or an additional amount paid above the standard price.
The monthly PM on Camila's health insurance went up by fifteen percent.
insurance context: PM on [policy]
Investors paid a PM of eight percent above the market price for those shares.
finance context: paid a PM of [amount]
The report showed that the PM on the company's bonds increased sharply this quarter.
Christopher asked his broker to explain why the PM on his policy had changed.
文法句型
[amount] + PM
pay a PM
用法筆記
This abbreviation is most common in written financial documents and insurance statements. In everyday speech, 'premium' (the full word) is preferred. The meaning depends on context: insurance premium = regular payment; bond premium = extra amount above par value.
5. the chemical symbol for promethium, a radioactive metallic element with atomic n
the chemical symbol for promethium, a radioactive metallic element with atomic number 61 that belongs to the lanthanide series. It does not occur naturally in large amounts and is produced inside nuclear reactors.
The element Pm is a radioactive metal that glows in the dark.
element Pm: scientific context
Scientists use Pm-147 to power small batteries for spacecraft and pacemakers.
Pm + isotope number: Pm-147
Pm is one of the few elements that has no stable isotopes in nature.
The lab ordered a small sample of Pm from a nuclear research facility.
文法句型
Pm + [isotope number]
element + Pm
用法筆記
Pm is the official IUPAC symbol for promethium and is used in the periodic table and chemical formulas. In speech, it is pronounced as the full element name, not as 'P-M'.
pm — noun
- pmsingular
- pmsplural
1. a short way of saying 'prime minister'; the top elected minister who runs a nati
a short way of saying 'prime minister'; the top elected minister who runs a national government in a parliamentary system — seen in countries like the UK, Canada, India, Japan, and Australia.
The PM met with world leaders at the climate change summit in Paris.
the PM as subject of a sentence
Eitan hopes to become PM of his country one day and improve the education system.
become PM: no article before the title
The former PM wrote a book about her time in office that became a bestseller.
Citizens voted for a new PM in last week's national election.
- prime minister
the full form; 'PM' is less formal and more common in news headlines and casual speech
- premier
used in some countries (e.g., Australian states, Canadian provinces) for the head of a regional government
- head of government
a more formal, technical term that can describe any system, not just parliamentary ones
文法句型
the PM
a PM
[possessive] + PM
用法筆記
Unlike the abbreviation sense (which is a title placed before a name), this noun sense follows standard English noun grammar — it takes articles ('the PM arrived', 'a new PM') and can be modified ('former PM', 'current PM'). Use this sense when you are referring to the person by their position in a sentence.
常見錯誤
2. a short way of saying 'project manager'; the person responsible for planning, or
a short way of saying 'project manager'; the person responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing a specific project from start to finish, typically in a business or technology setting.
I will check with the PM about the deadline for the new website launch.
the PM: workplace use
Our PM schedules weekly meetings to track everyone's progress on the app.
possessive: our PM
The PM asked the design team to finish the mock-ups by Friday afternoon.
Sofie was promoted to PM after successfully leading two major product launches.
- project manager
the full form; used in formal documents and job titles
- coordinator
a broader term; not all coordinators are project managers
- program manager
manages several related projects rather than a single one
文法句型
the PM
our PM
[name] is the PM
用法筆記
In many workplaces, 'PM' is used so often that the full form 'project manager' feels overly formal. The abbreviation is standard in emails, meeting schedules, and project management software like Jira or Asana.
3. a short way of saying 'private message'; a message sent through a social media p
a short way of saying 'private message'; a message sent through a social media platform, online forum, or messaging app that only the sender and the recipient can read.
Send me a PM if you want to discuss the details in private.
collocation: send [someone] a PM
Eshe received a PM from a teammate about the changes to the schedule.
I sent her a PM on Instagram, but she has not replied yet.
Forum rules ask you to use PMs for personal chats instead of posting them publicly.
- DM (direct message)
more common on Twitter/X and Instagram; PM is more common on forums and older platforms
- private message
the full form
文法句型
send + [someone] + a PM
get/receive a PM
用法筆記
Common on platforms like Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and Discord. The plural form 'PMs' is widely used. A PM is different from a public comment or a group chat message because only the intended person sees it.