Meanings
nounaftertale (plural aftertales)
plural aftertales
- Evil talk; slander; defamation.
Our cad's bit of strife (knee Bareniece Maxwelton) with a quick ear for spittoons (as the aftertale hath it) […]
1999, James Joyce, Finnegans Wake - A postscript added to the end of a story.
- A postscript added where a story should end.
Synonyms & antonyms
antonym(s) of “postscript”
Opposite
Also see
Origin
- Middle Englishaftertale
- Englishaftertale
From Middle English aftertale, equivalent to after- + tale. Cognate with Middle Dutch achtertale, achtertaele.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
aftertale. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aftertale
MLA
“aftertale.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aftertale. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “aftertale,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aftertale.
Source: aftertale on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.