c. 1300, from afterward (q.v.) + adverbial genitive -s.
Entries linking to afterwards
afterward adv.
Old English æfterwearde "behind, in back, in the rear," from æft "after" (see aft) + -weard suffix indicating direction (see -ward); expanded by influence of after. Variant afterwards shows adverbial genitive. Old English had also æfterweardnes "posterity."