Afterthrift

/ˈæf.tərˌθrɪft/ noun

Definition

Economic management or prosperity that comes after a period of hardship; prosperity following previous loss or misfortune.

Etymology

From Old English 'æfter' (after) + 'thrift' (from Old Norse 'þrift' meaning grasp, hold). An economic term from medieval commerce.

Kelly Says

The Great Depression taught America about 'afterthrift'—the careful saving and frugality that followed economic collapse, which shaped an entire generation's relationship with money and actually led to surprisingly strong economic foundations by the 1950s.

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