afterimage
UK[ˈɑːftərɪmɪdʒ]US[ˈæftərɪmɪdʒ]
n
an image that continues to appear in your vision for a short time after you have stopped looking at the object that caused it.
Morpheme Breakdown
after
image
after
image
Etymology
the word 'afterimage' is a transparent compound formed within english from the native adverb/preposition 'after' and the noun 'image'. 'after' derives from the old english 'æfter', which has germanic origins and is related to the idea of being behind or following in time or place. 'image' entered english via old french from the latin 'imago', meaning a copy, likeness, or representation, which itself may originate from a proto-indo-european root meaning 'to imitate'. the compound logically describes a visual phenomenon where a sensory impression persists ('follows after') the removal of the original stimulus, creating a lingering 'likeness'.
Analysis
Structure: after + image
after (preposition/adverb, from old english 'æfter'); image (noun, from latin 'imago' via old french)
Examples
staring at the bright light left a greenish afterimage when i looked away.
the optical illusion relies on the creation of a complementary afterimage.
artists sometimes study the effects of afterimages to understand color perception.