English Reference
Noun

aftermarket

n. countable
C1 Advanced US /ˈæftɝˌmɑɹkɪt/ UK /ˈɑːftəmˌɑːkɪt/ af·ter·mar·ket Business Finance

n.the market for parts, accessories, and repairs that you buy after you have already purchased the original product. It is common in the car and electronics industries.

n.the secondary market for goods and services related to a primary product after its initial sale. Refers to the trade in replacement parts, maintenance, and enhancements.


SIMPLE

The company makes a lot of money from the car aftermarket.

CONTEXTUAL

While the initial sale of the printer was cheap, the company relies on the aftermarket for expensive ink cartridges to make a profit.

COMPLEX

A robust aftermarket for vintage watch components ensures that collectors can maintain their timepieces even decades after the original manufacturer has ceased production of specific mechanical parts.

Usage

Often used as a modifier before another noun (e.g., 'aftermarket parts').

A 32GB stick of LPCAMM2 costs $800 from Framework’s site; one of the few available aftermarket sticks is $700.

Ars Technica· 27 Jul 2026

Anyone who has followed the aftermarket automotive performance industry for long enough can tell you just how dramatically it has changed over the past few decades.

Ars Technica· 10 Jul 2026

From after- + market.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated