aftermarket

American  

[af-ter-mahr-kit, ahf-] / ˈæf tərˌmɑr kɪt, ˈɑf- /

noun

1. the market for replacement parts, accessories, and equipment for the care or enhancement of the original product, especially an automobile, after its sale to the consumer.

   The company holds a large share in the automotive radio aftermarket.

2. any additional market created by a product after the primary market.

   Television is the perfect aftermarket for old movies.

3. Stock Exchange. secondary market.

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Usage

What does aftermarket mean? An aftermarket is a market for parts, accessories, or equipment used to maintain or improve an existing product, usually relating to machinery, especially automobiles. The aftermarket is a market for goods that can be used to repair, improve, or change a product that was already made on a primary, or standard, market. For example, when you buy a replacement power cable for your laptop from a company other than the computer manufacturer, you’re buying it on the aftermarket. Aftermarket is often paired with parts, as in The aftermarket parts for my car are actually of a better quality than the original parts. In the context of a stock exchange, aftermarket is used to mean a secondary market. The secondary market is the situation where investors buy and sell shares that are already owned. In contrast, the primary market is the situation where a company first sells its shares to investors. Before that, the company was owned privately. National markets like the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ are aftermarkets. Example: Because her new car didn’t come with good-quality speakers, Libby searched the aftermarket for better speakers.

Etymology

Origin of aftermarket

First recorded in 1935–40; after + market

Example Sentences

The chain’s stock jumped 6% in aftermarket trading.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

The lack of new planes has also created opportunities in the aftermarket, with older planes flying for longer.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

This growing aftermarket opportunity gives Ballard a steadier, recurring revenue stream and provides higher margins that complements new engine sales and reduces reliance on customer orders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

And Heico, which makes aftermarket parts, can use AI to reverse-engineer original parts and speed up the process of certifying them as equivalent to those from the original manufacturer.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

The aftermarket DVD player had initially been a sore spot between her and Jim.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel