annakāla

 Annakāla means the meal‑time or the proper hour for eating, and in some texts also the moment when a convalescent patient begins to take food again.

Core Sanskrit meaning

All major Sanskrit dictionaries agree that annakāla (अन्नकाल) is a compound of anna (“food”) and kāla (“time”), meaning:

• “Meal‑time” or “proper hour for eating”

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• A specific time when a recovering patient resumes eating

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These definitions appear consistently in Monier‑Williams and related lexicons.

Distinction from annākāla

The results note that annākāla (अन्नाकाल) is often a misreading for anākāla, which has a different meaning (“time of famine” or “hunger‑distress”)

Wisdom Library

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So:

• annakāla = meal‑time
• annākāla = usually an error for anākāla (“famine time”)

Usage across traditions

• In Ayurvedic and medical texts, annakāla marks the moment when a patient’s appetite returns

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• In general Sanskrit usage, it simply means the time designated for eating.
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Summary

Annakāla is a straightforward Sanskrit term meaning “meal‑time”, with an extended medical sense referring to the return of appetite in a convalescent.