aft
adverb
at, close to, or toward the stern or tail.
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aft
1 American
[aft, ahft]
/ æft, ɑft /
adverb
adjective
aft
2
American
[aft, ahft]
/ æft, ɑft /
adverb
Scot.
aft.
3
American
abbreviation
A.F.T.
4
American
abbreviation
aft
British
/ ɑːft /
adverb
Etymology
Origin of aft
before 950; Middle English afte, Old English æftan from behind, equivalent to æf- opposite + -t- suffix of uncertain value + -an suffix marking motion from; cognate with Old Frisian efta, Old Saxon, Old High German aftan, Gothic aftana, Old Norse aptan, Greek opís ( s ) ō behind; not akin to Greek apó off
Explanation
When something's at the back of a boat, it's aft. You might instruct a passenger on your sailboat to move aft while you adjust the sails. Aft, which can be used as an adverb or an adjective, is almost solely used in nautical or aeronautical terminology — in other words, when you're talking about a boat, ship, or airplane. Flight attendants usually start at the front of the cabin and move aft as they dole out drinks and pretzels, and they might instruct you to stow your huge bag in an aft compartment. The Old English root is æftan, "from behind or farthest back."
Vocabulary lists containing aft
The Cay
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"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 1 of the epic poem
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Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In its letter, the AFT also asked the SEC and its chair, Paul Atkins, to examine the issue of “forced investment” as a result of recent proposed rule changes by index providers.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
Texas AFT said it represents 66,000 public school teachers and other employees.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026
The AFT actually pushed to open schools as rapidly as possible “with appropriate safety protocols in place” such as “physical distancing, proper ventilation, deep cleaning procedures and adequate personal protective equipment.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2024
"Their values are showing—and they're not pretty," AFT added.
From Salon • Jul. 18, 2023
“We have 41 new units that we have organized as the AFT this year. We’ve never had that,” she said.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 2, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
