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 stock dropped 15 percent in after-hours trading Tuesday and the carnage continued Wednesday morning.

From The Daily Beast

I used to work at a Tower Records and shot a film after-hours there.

From The Daily Beast

She seemed to be enjoying it, too, judging by this amazing photo of her and Plaza after-hours.

From The Daily Beast

Only a policeman would know where the after-hours joints were open in this kind of a town.

From The Daily Beast

Shortly after the announcement, Washington Post shares were up 4.5 percent in after-hours trading.

From The Daily Beast

In order to expedite the work, it was desirable to induce the men to work after-hours.

From Project Gutenberg

To-morrow the fault shall be corrected, and the swings that are made in after-hours now give fair promise of a great change.

From Project Gutenberg

I do not know how the dinner, or rather the after-hours of it, had lengthened.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• midnight

More About After-hours

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.

Where does after-hours come from?

The first records of the term after-hours come from around the 1920s. It combines the term after, meaning “later in time than,” and hours, meaning “a period regularly appointed for work.”

One common use of after-hours is for after-hours clubs. For example, most bars, taverns, and pubs in the United States close at 2 am due to state regulations. An after-hours club is open after the bars close and focus on music and dancing.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to after-hours?

• after hours (prepositional phrase)

What are some synonyms for after-hours?

• late

What are some words that share a root or word element with after-hours? 

• after
• hours

What are some words that often get used in discussing after-hours?

• business
• club
• deal

How is after-hours used in real life?

When referring to stock trading, after-hours is sometimes used with a cautionary tone or in determined planning. When referring to something happening after a business closes, after-hours can be positive, as in an event, but can also be negative, as in an incident after closing time.

We celebrate the release of a new @CactusBlossoms album in any weather! One Day is out on CD today (vinyl out 5/13). Pick it up and get your pass to our after-hours event with them Sat night. We’re open 10-6 today & Sat. https://t.co/hp8wTd4HfG pic.twitter.com/JKcZDDz376

— Electric Fetus MPLS (@efetusmpls) February 11, 2022

The fact that there's a concept of after-hours trading in centralized finance really tells you all you need to know. #Bitcoin never sleeps.

— Cameron Winklevoss (@cameron) February 25, 2021

Redfin shares plunged more than 10% in after-hours trading Thursday, after executives predicted losses in the first quarter of 2022 would exceed full-year losses in 2021 as the company maintains an iBuying business that a rival dropped.https://t.co/gM7tfGRlWF pic.twitter.com/lwdEnoDpvy

— MarketWatch (@MarketWatch) February 17, 2022

 

Try using after-hours!

True or False?

Meeting with a company worker when they are on break is an after-hours meeting.