Etymo

aftermath

Consequences, or the period following an event.

Played on · Day 30 · word 3 of 5

What grew after the mowing

How aftermath reached English

  1. English

    aftermath

    ‘Consequences of an event’

  2. English

    aftermath

    ‘A second crop after cutting’

  3. English

    math

    ‘Mowing’

The story of aftermath

The first aftermath was agricultural: a later crop growing after an earlier mowing. Math is an old mowing word. The broader senses concern results and what follows an event.

The agricultural sense survives alongside the broader meanings; it was not completely replaced.

Source

Merriam-Webster: aftermath

Sense 1, Word History and Did you know? establish the crop meaning and distinguish the two math words.

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