Other forms: afterthoughts
An afterthought is something added later, having not been planned. As an afterthought, added as an afterthought, a mere afterthought.
Calling something an afterthought is a criticism of the planning — it says the thing was not considered when it should have been, which is why it appears in reviews of buildings and of policy. It was probably formed on the model of forethought. Note that the compound is after plus thought.
1nounafterthoughtSomething added later, having not been planned.
“The garage was added as an afterthought and doesn't match the rest of the house.”
afterthought is a later addition.
After plus thought, probably modelled on forethought. The two words are exact opposites in formation.
Proto-Indo-European
*teng-
Middle English
thought
English
thought
English, today
afterthought
Built from
From after- + thought. From after- + thought, probably modelled on forethought. Compare also the verb afterthink. thought comes from Middle English thought. From Middle English thought, ithoȝt, from Old English þōht, ġeþōht, from Proto-West Germanic þą̄ht, from Proto-Germanic þanhtaz, gaþanhtą (“thought”), from Proto-Indo-European teng- (“to think”). Cognate with Scots thocht (“thought”), stq Toacht (“thought”), West Frisian oandacht (“attention, regard, thought”), Dutch gedachte (“thought”), German Andacht (“reverence, devotion, prayer”), Icelandic þóttur (“thought”). Related to thank, think.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA