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af·ter·math

(ăftər-măth′)

1. A consequence, especially of a disaster or misfortune: famine as an aftermath of drought.

2. A period of time following a disastrous event: in the aftermath of war.

3. A second growth or crop in the same season, as of grass after mowing.

[AFTER + obsolete math, mowing (from Old English mǣth; see mē-⁴ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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