Meanings
- idiomaticrareWith contrary, subordinate, or remote effect, denoting hindrance, setback, inferiority, etc.
after- + deal → afterdeal
1 more example
after- + tale → aftertale
- With adverbial or adjectival effect, forming compound words indicating something that comes afterwards in spacial position.
after- + deck → afterdeck
2 more examples
after- + limb → after-limb
after- + ship → after-ship
- With prepositional effect, forming compound words denoting something which follows the second element of the compound, and is less intense or significant.
after- + glow → afterglow
2 more examples
after- + shock → aftershock
after- + thought → afterthought
- With prepositional effect, forming compound words denoting follows and is a result of the second element of the compound.
after- + life → afterlife
2 more examples
after- + birth → afterbirth
after- + noon → afternoon
Synonyms & antonyms
prefixWith adverbial or adjectival effect, forming compound words indicating something that comes afterwards in spacial position.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep(o)teros
- Proto-Germanic*after
- Old Englishæfter
- Middle Englishafter
- Englishafter
- Old Englishæfter
- Old Englishæfter-
- Middle Englishafter-
- Englishafter-
From after (adverb and preposition), and also continuing Middle English after-, efter-, æfter-, from Old English æfter- (“after, behind, against”). Cognate with Scots efter-, West Frisian efter-, Dutch achter-, German after-, Swedish efter-. More at after.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
after-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/after-
“after-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/after-. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “after-,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/after-.
Source: after- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.