adv · prep · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/əˈbɑːft/
General-American:/əˈbæft/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɑːft
rhymes with -æft
1
adv
Meaning 1
On the aft side; in the stern.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
Examples
We drifted with the wind abaft.
The mate sleeps abaft.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
Backwards.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
prep
Meaning 3
Behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
Examples
The captain stood abaft the wheelhouse.
1773, James Cook, An Account of a Voyage Around the World, Book 3, Chapter 5, in John Hawkesworth (ed.), An Account of the Voyages Undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty: for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, Volume 3, p. 558, [...] we could hear the water rush in a little abaft the foremast, about three feet from the keel: this determined me to clear the hold intirely.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: abaft of
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
stow the luggage aft
ships with square sails sail fairly efficiently with the wind abaft
the captain looked astern to see what the fuss was about
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: aft, astern
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English obaft, baft, baften, from Old English beæftan; be (“by”) (modern English by) + æftan (“behind”) (modern English after). See also aft.
Across languages
Translations
54 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
فِي مُؤَخَّرَة
(fī muʔaḵḵara)
— (nautical) on the aft side
Arabic:
فأخر
(fʔāḫer)
— (nautical) on the aft side
Catalan:
a popa
— (nautical) on the aft side
Czech:
na zádi
— (nautical) on the aft side
Czech:
na záď
— (nautical) on the aft side
Dutch:
naar achter
— (nautical) on the aft side
Dutch:
achteruit
— (nautical) on the aft side
Estonian:
ahtris
— (nautical) on the aft side
Finnish:
perässä
— (nautical) on the aft side
Finnish:
perään
— (nautical) on the aft side
Finnish:
takaa
— (nautical) on the aft side
French:
sur l'arrière
— (nautical) on the aft side
French:
vers l'arrière
— (nautical) on the aft side
German:
achteraus
— (nautical) on the aft side
German:
achtern
— (nautical) on the aft side
Italian:
a poppa
— (nautical) on the aft side
Italian:
verso poppa
— (nautical) on the aft side
Italian:
a poppavia
— (nautical) on the aft side
Manx:
gys jerrey ny lhuingey
— (nautical) on the aft side
Manx:
gys y stiur
— (nautical) on the aft side
Portuguese:
à popa
— (nautical) on the aft side
Spanish:
a popa
— (nautical) on the aft side
Turkish:
kıç tarafında
— (nautical) on the aft side
Arabic:
خَلْف
(ḵalf)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Arabic:
ورا
(wara)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Bengali:
পিছন দিকে
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Bengali:
পশ্চাদ্দিকে
(poścaddike)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Bengali:
জাহাজের পিছনের অর্ধাংশে
(jahajer pichoner ordhaṅśe)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Bulgarian:
назад
(nazad)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Bulgarian:
към кърмата
(kǎm kǎrmata)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Czech:
za
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Dutch:
achterlijker dan
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Estonian:
ahtris
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Finnish:
takana
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Finnish:
taakse
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
French:
en arrière de
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
French:
sur l'arrière de
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Georgian:
უკან
(uḳan)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Georgian:
კიჩოზე
(ḳičoze)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
German:
achtern
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
German:
hintern
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Ido:
dop
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Manx:
ny yei (my yei)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Manx:
cooyl (aym)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Norwegian:
akter
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Norwegian:
akterut
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Norwegian:
aktenfor
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Norwegian:
akterlig
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Russian:
позади́
(pozadí)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Russian:
сза́ди
(szádi)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Russian:
на корме́
(na kormé)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Russian:
с кормы́
(s kormý)
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Spanish:
a popa
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
Turkish:
geride
— (nautical) behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of
