aftershaft

American  

[af-ter-shaft, ahf-ter-shahft] / ˈæf tərˌʃæft, ˈɑf tərˌʃɑft /

noun

Ornithology.

1. a supplementary feather, usually small, arising from the underside of the base of the shafts of certain feathers in many birds.

2. the shaft of such a feather.

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aftershaft British  

/ ˈɑːftəˌʃɑːft /

noun

1. ornithol a secondary feather arising near the base of a contour feather

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Other Word Forms

• aftershafted adjective

Etymology

Origin of aftershaft

First recorded in 1865–70; after + shaft

Example Sentences

Since, however, these feathers have each an aftershaft as long as the main shaft—like the rest of the body feathers—it may be that they answer not to remiges, but to major coverts.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2 "Fairbanks, Erastus" to "Fens" by Various

Only in the cassowary and emu among adult birds is the aftershaft as large as the main shaft.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2 "Fairbanks, Erastus" to "Fens" by Various

In their early stages of development they often possess a large aftershaft made up of a number of barbs, but these quickly disappear, leaving only the degenerate main shaft.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2 "Fairbanks, Erastus" to "Fens" by Various

In both the Tinamous, the duck-tribe and the game-birds this mesoptyle plumage shows, in different species, every gradation between feathers having a well-developed main shaft and aftershaft, and those which are mere umbelliform tufts.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2 "Fairbanks, Erastus" to "Fens" by Various