To save this word, you'll need to log in.
af·ter·pain | \ -ˌpān 
\
\Medical Definition of afterpain
1 : pain that follows its cause only after a distinct interval
the afterpain of a tooth extraction
2 afterpains plural : pains that follow the termination of labor and are associated with contraction of the uterus toward its nonpregnant size
Comments on afterpain
What made you want to look up afterpain? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words for Summer: A Quiz
- Which of the following words means “of or relating to summer”?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Words for Summer: A Quiz
Test your knowledge of words related to the season of longer days and vacations.
Take the quiz - A More Exception(al) Quiz
Which of these things doesn't belong?
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Add Diction
Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.
Play the game
Share afterpain