The rear or tail section of a ship's hull or aircraft, designed to reduce drag and maintain stability.
Compound of 'after' (Old English æfter, 'rear') and 'body' (Old English bodig). Emerged as a technical term in shipbuilding and aeronautical engineering during the 19th century.
Naval architects have discovered that the afterbody's shape can make or break a ship's speed and fuel efficiency—the slender, tapered afterbodies of modern cargo ships are an art form that cost millions to perfect through computer modeling and testing.
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