Where does “after” come from?
After comes from Old English æfter, from Proto-Germanic after, from Proto-Indo-European apotero, derived from the prefix apo- meaning "away."
after (English): Behind; later in time; following; Subsequently...
Definitions
- Behind; later in time; following; Subsequently...
Ancestry of “after”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | after | after |
| 2 | Old English | æfter | after; according to |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *aftar | after, behind |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | after | after, behind |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂epoteros | further behind, further away |