Definition of Postprandial

Postprandial: After mealtime. A postprandial rise in the blood glucose level is one that occurs after eating.

Most medical terms have a reasonably logical derivation. Not so with "postprandial." The "post-" part is Latin for "behind, backward, later, or afterward." The "prandial" part comes from the Latin, too, from "prandium" which means "a late breakfast or lunch." "Prandium" derived from the Greek "pro-", before + "endios", midday. So, "postprandial" literally means "after the time before midday."

Now, however, "postprandial" refers to the time after any meal. It is a common term in medicine and is pertinent to diabetes, endocrinology, gastroenterology, metabolism, pathology, and many other biomedical fields.

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