aftershaft

[ af-ter-shaft, ahf-ter-shahft ]

nounOrnithology.
  1. a supplementary feather, usually small, arising from the underside of the base of the shafts of certain feathers in many birds.

  2. the shaft of such a feather.

Origin of aftershaft

1
First recorded in 1865–70; after + shaft

Other words from aftershaft

  • af·ter·shaft·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for aftershaft

aftershaft

/ (ˈɑːftəˌʃɑːft) /


noun
  1. ornithol a secondary feather arising near the base of a contour feather

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