Where does “afterwise” come from?

afterwise (English) comes from English after, from Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic after, from Proto-Indo-European h₂epoteros — further behind, further away.

afterwise (English): Wise after the fact

Definitions

  1. Wise after the fact

Ancestry of “afterwise”, step by step

afterwise traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English after

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishafterBehind; later in time; following; Subsequently...
2Middle Englishafterafter
3Old Englishæfterafter; according to
4Proto-West Germanic*aftarafter, behind
5Proto-Germanicafterafter, behind
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂epoterosfurther behind, further away

via English wise

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwiseShowing good judgement or the benefit of...
2Middle Englishwyswise, thoughtful, proper; knowledgeable; alert,...
3Old Englishwīswise
4Proto-Germanicwīsazwise, knowledgeable
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweydstosknowledgeable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂epoteros →Every word from Proto-Germanic after →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *aftar →