What does "aftermath" mean?

1. (consequences of a disaster) the situation that exists after a big event, especially a bad one like a war, accident, or storm. 2. (a second harvest) a second crop of grass that grows in the same season after the first harvest.

How do you use "aftermath"?

This is the original literal meaning of the word, though it is now rarely used outside of historical or agricultural contexts.

aftermath

US //ˈæftɝˌmæθ// UK //ˈɑːftəmˌæθ// af·ter·math

1 consequences of a disaster (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the situation that exists after a big event, especially a bad one like a war, accident, or storm.

the period immediately following a catastrophic event and the resulting social or physical effects. Uncountable in most contexts.

Example

Many people were left without homes in the aftermath of the flood.

Example

In the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis, the government introduced several emergency measures to prevent a total collapse of the banking sector.
- aftereffects
- fallout
- consequences
2 a second harvest (n.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Technical Cooking

a second crop of grass that grows in the same season after the first harvest.

a second mowing of grass; the crop that grows after the first hay harvest of the season.

Example

The farmer hoped for a good aftermath to feed his cattle through the winter.

Example

The late summer rains ensured a lush aftermath, providing the livestock with ample grazing land before the first frost arrived.

Usage

This is the original literal meaning of the word, though it is now rarely used outside of historical or agricultural contexts.
- rowen

Origin

From after- + math (“a mowing”).