aftershaft
|af-ter-shaft|
C2
🇺🇸
/ˈæftərˌʃæft/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːftəˌʃɑːft/
secondary feather
Etymology
Etymology Information
'aftershaft' originates from the combination of 'after' and 'shaft', where 'after' implies 'following' and 'shaft' refers to the main stem of a feather.
Historical Evolution
'aftershaft' was formed in English by combining the words 'after' and 'shaft'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to any secondary structure following a main one, but now it specifically refers to a secondary feather in birds.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a secondary feather growing from the base of a main feather in some birds.
The aftershaft provides additional insulation for the bird.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/05/27 01:06