after-hours

[af-ter-ouuhrz, -ou-erz, ahf-]

adjective

1. occurring, engaged in, or operating after the normal or legal closing time for business.

   an after-hours drinking club.

Word History and Origins

Origin of after hours¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Idioms and Phrases

After normal working hours, after closing time; also, after legal or established opening hours. For example, I haven't time while the shop is open, but I can see you after hours, or The restaurant employees sometimes stayed for a meal after hours. This term originally referred to laws governing business hours. It also gave rise to the term after-hours club, for a drinking club that remained open later than similar establishments. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

The shares of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, surged in after-hours trading following the announcement.

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But Nvidia, which has been caught in the crossfire of a trade war between the US and China, said it "continued to work through geopolitical issues" and its shares fell in after-hours trading.

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An investigator with the office declined to confirm the details of the report in an after-hours call with The Times.

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As the music rages on, the event will also allow visitors to live out their “Night at the Museum” fantasies — offering after-hours access to the exhibition.

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An after-hours email to the Department of Homeland Security was not immediately answered.

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Related Words

• midnight 

When To Use

What does after-hours mean?

After-hours describes something that happens after normal or legal hours of operation for a business or service, as in The after-hours party starts as soon as the bar closes for the night.After-hours can describe something that happens after its normal time, such as a business meeting that takes place after the close of the business day. In the US, many business offices close at 5 pm. A meeting that took place at 7 pm, for example, would be an after-hours meeting.After-hours can also describe something that happens after the allotted time. It’s generally used in situations in which something can be conducted after a business or program has ended and will still be honored. This use is most often used in reference to the stock market and investing, such as in the phrase after-hours trading. The New York Stock Exchange, for example, is only open from 9:30 am to 4 pm, but trading can be conducted at any time of the day.Finally, after-hours can simply describe something that happens late at night. You might find a restaurant that serves an after-hours breakfast, meaning they serve breakfast foods late at night, especially after midnight.Example: Joanie tried after-hours trading but found that she made more money during regular trading hours.