after-party

or af·ter·par·ty or af·ter par·ty

[ af-ter-pahr-tee, ahf- ]
/ ˈæf tərˌpɑr ti, ˈɑf- /

noun, plural af·ter-par·ties.

a usually exclusive party that takes place after a performance or other event or after the main party: The screening of the premiere was followed by an afterparty.

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Origin of after-party

First recorded in 1940–45; after + party

Words nearby after-party

after mast, after one's own heart, after the fact, after-dinner, after-hours, after-party, after-ripening, after-run, afterbeat, afterbirth, afterbody
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

VOCAB BUILDER

What is an after-party?

An after-party is a party that happens after an event or after the main party. The after-party is usually smaller, less formal, and more exclusive (meaning fewer people are invited).

After-parties are usually held after events like concerts, dances, weddings, and award ceremonies. Since such events are usually at least somewhat formal, the after-party is often intended as an opportunity for people to really let loose.

It is also commonly seen without a hyphen (afterparty) and as two words (after party).

Example: At the end of the wedding reception, the best man announced that he was having an after-party at his house for anyone who wanted to keep on partying past midnight.

Where does after-party come from?

The first records of after-party in its current sense come from the 1940s. An after-party can be a party that happens after the (first) party, but the word perhaps more commonly refers to the party that happens after an event.

The problem with big parties and events is that they have to end. Enter the after-party. Depending on who you ask, the real party doesn’t actually start until the after-party.

Whether it follows an event or another party, the after-party is usually more intimate—with a smaller, more select group of people. Such after-parties may or may not be thrown by the same person who hosted the original gathering. But in most cases, they take place at a different venue, whether it’s a hotel room after the official convention party or someone’s house after a concert.

Award ceremonies like the Oscars are known for being followed by big, fancy after-parties hosted by A-list celebrities, who invite their other celebrity friends. Like a lot of after-parties, they’re known for getting a bit wild. But just wait till the after-after-party.

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What are some other forms related to after-party?

  • after-after-party
  • after-after-after-party
  • after-after-after-after-party

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

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

How is after-party used in real life?

The word after-party is associated with coolness, exclusivity, and wild times. A party is fun but the after-party is where the real fun begins. Or so we’ve heard.

Try using after-party!

Is after-party used correctly in the following sentence? 

“I’m not going to prom, but I might go to the after-party.”

Example sentences from the Web for after-party