postprandial

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a nounformalmedical

   Happening or measured after eating a meal.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun: postprandial blood sugar, a postprandial stroll.

   Patterns

   • postprandial something

   The nurse measured his postprandial blood sugar two hours after lunch.

   A postprandial walk helped her feel less sleepy after the big dinner.

   Researchers studied postprandial changes in cholesterol levels.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounhumorous

   Used playfully for the relaxed, drowsy mood or habits that follow a big meal.

   Grammar: Humorous when used outside medicine: a postprandial nap.

   Patterns

   • a postprandial nap

   Grandfather enjoyed his postprandial nap in the armchair.

   The guests fell into a postprandial silence once the pudding was gone.

   A postprandial cup of coffee finished the evening nicely.

Common combinations

postprandial glucose

Doctors checked her postprandial glucose after breakfast.

postprandial walk

The family took a postprandial walk along the beach.

postprandial nap

He claimed a postprandial nap was good for his health.

postprandial drowsiness

Postprandial drowsiness hit the whole table after the feast.

postprandial speech

The host gave a short postprandial speech over coffee.

Synonyms and how they differ

after-dinner

After-dinner is plain and everyday, while postprandial sounds scientific or jokingly grand.

post-meal

Post-meal is a neutral modern phrase, whereas postprandial is the classic technical term.

digestive

Digestive relates to the processing of food in the body, while postprandial only marks the time after eating.

Opposites

Word family

preprandial adjective

happening before a meal

prandial adjective

relating to a meal, mostly used humorously or technically

postprandially adverb

after eating a meal

Commonly confused: postprandial or postpartum?

Practice

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