aft

/æft/

/æft/

When something's at the back of a boat, it's aft. You might instruct a passenger on your sailboat to move aft while you adjust the sails.

Aft, which can be used as an adverb or an adjective, is almost solely used in nautical or aeronautical terminology — in other words, when you're talking about a boat, ship, or airplane. Flight attendants usually start at the front of the cabin and move aft as they dole out drinks and pretzels, and they might instruct you to stow your huge bag in an aft compartment. The Old English root is æftan, "from behind or farthest back."

Definitions of aft

1. adverb

   at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
   “stow the luggage aft”

   synonyms: abaft, astern

   antonyms:

   fore

   near or toward the bow of a ship or cockpit of a plane
2. adjective

   (nautical, aeronautical) situated at or toward the stern or tail
   synonyms:

   back

   related to or located at the back

   after

   located farther aft

   aftermost

   located closest to the stern or tail

   antonyms:

   fore

   situated at or toward the bow of a vessel

   front

   relating to or located in the front

   forward

   at or near or directed toward the front

   foremost

   situated closest to the bow