afterschool

or af·ter-school

[ af-ter-skool, ahf- ]

adjective

1. for students and taking place after they finish their day in school, usually in the late afternoon:

   He’s looking for an afterschool job.

   Is there afterschool tutoring in math?

Word History and Origins

Origin of afterschool¹

First recorded in 1905–10; after ( def ) + school ¹( def )

Example Sentences

As food insecurity experts have established, child hunger spikes during the summer because millions lose access to the school breakfast, lunches and afterschool meals they receive during the regular school year.

From Salon

They agreed to let her have Instagram for her afterschool activities, which they found ironic and frustrating.

From Seattle Times

Both Kate and Sutton wrap up afterschool activities that include theater and dance classes at 8:30 p.m. most weeknights.

From Seattle Times

Twenty-five years ago, the show — a warped spoof of the heavy-handed “ABC Afterschool Specials” of the ‘70s and ‘80s — premiered on Comedy Central, and hardly anyone noticed.

From Los Angeles Times

Then Sedaris called Dinello and asked for their help with a pitch for an update on the “Afterschool Specials” they’d all grown up watching.

From Los Angeles Times

More About Afterschool

What does afterschool mean?

Afterschool describes something for students that takes place after their schooling is done for the day. 

Afterschool can describe just about anything that takes place after a school day ends. At school, students might attend afterschool care when they’re too young to be home alone. They might belong to afterschool clubs, which have meetings at the end of the school day, such as a robotics club or a drama club. Students could play afterschool sports, being part of a team that practices and has games outside of school hours. 

Students might also do things away from school that happen immediately after the end of school or only take place outside of school hours, such as an afterschool job or an afterschool program not held at the school.

Afterschool is most often used in reference to students who are teens or younger and attend nursery school, primary school, or secondary school. 

Afterschool can also be spelled after-school. After school is used to indicate a time later than school hours, as in Tanya walked home with her friends after school and then promptly did her homework.

Example: Leoni had to stay in afterschool care every day when they were young because their parents worked late.

Where does afterschool come from?

The first records of the term afterschool come from around the early 1900s. It combines the terms after and school.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to afterschool?

• after-school (alternative spelling)

What are some words that share a root or word element with afterschool? 

• afternoon
• aftermarket
• aftermath
• schoolhouse
• schoolmate
• high school 

What are some words that often get used in discussing afterschool?

• activity
• care
• club
• job
• sport
• tutoring

How is afterschool used in real life?

Afterschool is used to describe activities and events that take place once the school day ends, particularly for schools whose students are teens or younger.

whenever i eat pb&j & pretzels as a meal, it feels like '3rd grade afterschool snack split between you & your neighbor boy crush' realness

— tyler oakley (@tyleroakley) March 25, 2016

Due to the forecasted temperatures and humidity, BCPS will close schools 2 hours early today. Evening & afterschool activities are cancelled

— Baltimore County Public Schools (@BaltCoPS) September 9, 2015

Revisited So Far Gone in earnest this morning. Took me right back to driving home from my afterschool job.
“Say What’s Real” and “Unstoppable” still my favorites.

— Virgo Grooving @ .75 SPEED (@Sid_Madden) February 13, 2019

 

Try using afterschool!

Is afterschool used correctly in the following sentence?

“Toby is going to the park afterschool.”