Afterthought

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæft.ɚ.θɔt/

Definitions

1. A view or idea considered or expressed sometime after the main discussion or action
2. An idea or comment that comes to mind after the initial statement has been completed
3. A notion or remark introduced later, often supplementing or revising what was previously said

Etymology: The English word is a plain compound, built from "after" and "thought," and its parts are both old native words. "After" comes from Old English "æfter," which traces back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "behind" or "later," while "thought" comes from Old English "þōht," from a verb meaning "to think." Put together, the pair describes a notion that occurs to someone only once a matter seems finished. The compound is probably modeled on "forethought," the older word for planning ahead, so "afterthought" is essentially its mirror image: a thought that arrives behind, rather than in front. The same pattern gave English the verb "afterthink," which is a close relative but far less common. Its most familiar use, an idea added late or an extra considered as an add-on, follows directly from that sense of coming after. The word is a transparent formation, so its meaning has changed little from its literal parts.

Synonyms: consideration, reflection, reconsideration

Antonyms: premeditation, planning, forethought