aftermath

noun

af·​ter·​math ˈaf-tər-ˌmath How to pronounce aftermath (audio)
1
: a second-growth crop

called also rowen

2
: consequence, result
stricken with guilt as an aftermath of the accident
3
: the period immediately following a usually ruinous event
in the aftermath of the war

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Breaking Down Aftermath

At first glance, one might calculate aftermath to be closely related to mathematics and its cropped form math. But the math of mathematics (which came to English ultimately from Greek) and the math of aftermath grew from different roots. Aftermath dates to the late 1400s and was originally an agricultural term, an offshoot of the ancient word math, meaning “a mowing.” The original aftermath came, of course, after the math: it was historically the crop cut, grazed, or plowed under after the first crop of the season from the same soil. (Math is still used in some parts of the United Kingdom to refer to a mowing of a grass or hay crop, as well as to the crop that is mowed.) It wasn’t until the mid-1600s that aftermath came to have the meanings now familiar to us, referring to the period of time following a destructive event, or to a negative consequence or result.

Examples of aftermath in a Sentence

the surgery was successful, but she now had to deal with its aftermath: a huge bill
Recent Examples on the Web One letter-writer to the Star-Telegram in the aftermath of Fort Worth’s 1911 race riot did not stop with excoriating the rioters and the craven police who did not stop them. Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2024 In the aftermath of the divorce news, Spelling has publicly divulged the details of the pair's marital woes and eventual separation on her misSPELLING podcast. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024 Julia has reported on fentanyl in local schools, the aftermath of police shootings and crime trends in Charlotte. Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 25 Apr. 2024 Eighteen people were indicted in a criminal case brought by Attorney General Kris Mayes involving the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election in Arizona. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 25 Apr. 2024 The past few years have seen West’s business, personal, and musical affairs deteriorate in the aftermath of his antisemitic rants — with Adidas, Gap, Balenciaga, and the rapper’s own agency, CAA, cutting ties with West. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2024 Some assets have even walked away in the aftermath of prominent leaks or disclosures. David V. Gioe, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024 In the immediate aftermath, however, public statements from celebs were rare, especially ones as impassioned as Barrera’s. Jp Brammer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024 Eventually, the two sides reached an agreement in late July, but in the immediate aftermath, some customers did not return to UPS. Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 23 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aftermath.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

after- + math "mowing," going back to Middle English *math, going back to a short-vowel variant (perhaps of Germanic date) of Old English mǣþ, going back to Germanic *mēþa- (whence Old Saxon mād- —in māddag "mowing day"—, Old High German āmād "aftermath"), derivative with the nominal suffix *-to- from the base of *mēan- "to mow entry 2"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aftermath was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near aftermath

Cite this Entry

“Aftermath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aftermath. Accessed 2 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

aftermath

noun
af·​ter·​math ˈaf-tər-ˌmath How to pronounce aftermath (audio)
1
: result entry 2 sense 1, consequence
felt tired as an aftermath of the race
2
: the period immediately following a usually destructive event
the aftermath of war
Etymology

Old English mæth "mowing," from māwan "to mow"

Word Origin
The second part of aftermath comes from the Old English word mæth, meaning "the result of a mowing or harvesting," that is, a crop. This word was derived from the Old English verb māwan, which survives today as our modern English mow. During a good growing season in England, a second and sometimes a third crop of hay could be grown after the first mowing. When this crop was cut, it was the aftermath. Since the 17th century, the meaning of aftermath has broadened to include all kinds of results, not just those of a second mowing.

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