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aftermarket

American  
[af-ter-mahr-kit, ahf-] / ˈæf tərˌmɑr kɪt, ˈɑf- /

noun

  1. the market for replacement parts, accessories, and equipment for the care or enhancement of the original product, especially an automobile, after its sale to the consumer.

    The company holds a large share in the automotive radio aftermarket.

  2. any additional market created by a product after the primary market.

    Television is the perfect aftermarket for old movies.

  3. Stock Exchange. secondary market.


Usage

What does aftermarket mean? An aftermarket is a market for parts, accessories, or equipment used to maintain or improve an existing product, usually relating to machinery, especially automobiles.The aftermarket is a market for goods that can be used to repair, improve, or change a product that was already made on a primary, or standard, market. For example, when you buy a replacement power cable for your laptop from a company other than the computer manufacturer, you’re buying it on the aftermarketAftermarket is often paired with parts, as in The aftermarket parts for my car are actually of a better quality than the original parts.In the context of a stock exchange, aftermarket is used to mean a secondary market. The secondary market is the situation where investors buy and sell shares that are already owned. In contrast, the primary market is the situation where a company first sells its shares to investors. Before that, the company was owned privately. National markets like the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ are aftermarkets. Example: Because her new car didn’t come with good-quality speakers, Libby searched the aftermarket for better speakers.

Etymology

Origin of aftermarket

First recorded in 1935–40; after + market

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Commercial aftermarket revenue behaves in many ways like an annuity tied to flight hours, while defense modernization cycles add a second layer of durability.

From MarketWatch

And Heico, which makes aftermarket parts, can use AI to reverse-engineer original parts and speed up the process of certifying them as equivalent to those from the original manufacturer.

From Barron's

First Brands Group has been unable to find financing or a buyer to continue most of its companywide operations, the bankrupt auto-parts supplier said as it laid off employees in its aftermarket businesses Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal

The wind-down of those businesses, including aftermarket parts maker Cardone and spark plug manufacturer Autolite, comes in addition to the layoffs announced Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal

The auto parts business is one of the largest global distributors of aftermarket auto parts.

From Barron's