What Time Is Considered Late Afternoon?

Cambridge Dictionaries Online states that afternoon is from about noon or after the midday meal until about 6 p.m. or when the sun begins to go down. In Middle English, the word for afternoon was "aftermete," which means "after the noon meal." Given the variations in mealtimes and the times of sunset, the period of late afternoon is difficult to define. The term "late afternoon" can sometimes substitute for the word "evening."