An additional cost that comes after the initial price has been paid, often unexpected or occurring later in a project or transaction.
From 'after' (Old English æfter, meaning 'behind in space or time') plus 'cost' (from Old French coste, meaning 'expense'). The compound formed in Middle English to describe expenses incurred subsequent to an initial outlay.
In medieval trade, merchants discovered that the true price of goods only became clear after delivery—hence 'aftercost' emerged as a term for those pesky hidden expenses that merchants had to account for.
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