Lewis & Short

mĕrīdĭes, ēi, m. (f. ap. Amm. 26, 1, 9) [for medidies from medius-dies], mid-day, noon.

  1. I. Lit.: meridies ab eo, quod medius dies, Varr. L. L. 6, § 4 Müll.: ipsum meridiem cur non medidiem? credo, quod erat insuavius, Cic. Or. 47, 158; Quint. 1, 6, 30; Prisc. p. 551 P.: circiter meridiem, Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 52: ante meridiem, post meridiem, Cic. Tusc. 2, 3, 9: diem diffindere insiticio somno meridie, to take a nap at noon, Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 5: inclamare horam esse tertiam, itemque meridiem, Varr. L. L. 6, § 89 Müll.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. The south: inflectens sol cursum tum ad septentriones, tum ad meridiem, Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49: a meridie Aegyptus objacet, ab occasu Phoenices, Tac. H. 5, 6.
    2. B. In gen., the middle of a given time (ante- and postclass.): noctis circiter meridiem, Varr. ap. Non. 451, 9: actatis, Non. ib. 14.