Postprandial means after a meal. It's a formal word that doctors, scientists, and writers use to describe things that happen once you've finished eating.

You might encounter this word in descriptions of medical studies. Researchers measure postprandial blood sugar to see how someone's body processes food, or they might study postprandial sleepiness, that drowsy feeling some people get after a big lunch. A doctor might ask about your postprandial symptoms if you feel unwell after eating.

While most people would simply say “after eating” or “after dinner,” postprandial gives you a precise, scientific way to describe that specific time period.

You're more likely to see this word in medical articles or formal writing than in everyday conversation. If your science teacher asks about postprandial effects in a nutrition unit, she means whatever changes happen in your body after you eat. A Victorian novelist might describe characters taking a postprandial stroll, meaning a walk after dinner to aid digestion, a once-common social custom.