Also spelled arter

US /ˈaftə(ɹ)/ UK /ˈɑːftə/
adv prep Freq #155

Meanings

  1. 1
    prep

    Later in time than; following.

    We had a few drinks after the game.

  2. 2
    adv

    Later; following in time.

    He fell ill on Monday and died soon after.

  3. 3
    prep

    Trying to get or catch someone or something.

    The police are after him for robbery.

  4. 4
    prep

    In honour of or in imitation of.

    They named the baby after his grandfather.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
Word family
Forms afters
Derived forms after-banquetafter-fiveafter-partyafter-workafternessafternoonsought-aftersweet-after-death

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Indo-European *-teros Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep(o)teros Proto-Germanic *after Old English æfter Middle English after English after From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German/Dutch achter (“behind”), German after-…

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