The rear or stern section of a ship; the part of a vessel behind the midship area.
Compound of 'after' (from Old English 'æfter' meaning behind) and 'ship' (from Old English 'scip'). The term emerged in nautical terminology to describe the structural division of vessels.
Medieval shipbuilders divided ships into sections for structural clarity, and 'aftership' became crucial as vessels grew larger and needed specialized compartments for steering mechanisms and navigation—the captain's domain!
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