afterworld
UK[ˈɑːftəwɜːld]US[ˈæftərwɜrld]
n
a world or state of existence believed to follow death; the afterlife.
Morpheme Breakdown
after
world
after
behind in place, later in time
world
human existence, the earth, a long period of time
Etymology
the word 'afterworld' is a modern english compound formed from two native old english elements. 'after' derives from the old english 'æfter', which has germanic origins and is related to the proto-indo-european root ap- meaning "off, away". 'world' comes from old english 'woruld', a compound of 'wer' (man) and 'eld' (age), thus originally meaning "the age of man" or "human existence". the concept of an "afterworld" is a logical linguistic construction, combining the temporal/spatial sense of 'after' with the existential sense of 'world' to create a term for a realm believed to come after earthly life. this compound follows a common pattern in english for naming conceptual realms, such as 'underworld' or 'netherworld'.
Analysis
Structure: after + world
after (old english, preposition/adverb meaning "behind in place, later in time") + world (old english, noun meaning "human existence, the earth, a long period of time").
Examples
many ancient religions have detailed descriptions of the afterworld.
the novel explores a fantastical afterworld where souls are judged by their deeds.
his beliefs about the afterworld provided him comfort in his final days.