The word "most afterwards" is spelled /moʊst æftərwɔrdz/. "Most" is pronounced with a long "o" sound and a soft "s" sound at the end, while "afterwards" is pronounced with a broad "a" sound and a silent "s" at the end. The combination of the two words creates a vowel sound shift in the last syllable of "most" from a long "o" to a schwa sound, which helps to differentiate it from the word "almost" which otherwise would have the same vowel sound. Overall, the spelling of this word follows typical English phonetic rules.
The phrase "most afterwards" does not have an etymology, as it is not a single word but a combination of two separate words.
- "Most" is an adjective that means the greatest in amount, extent, or degree. It originated from the Old English word "mǣst" which has the same meaning.
- "Afterwards" is an adverb that means later in time or afterward. It evolved from the Middle English word "afterward" which had the same meaning.
Together, the phrase "most afterwards" would indicate something that occurred later or afterward at the greatest extent or degree, but it is not a widely recognized or commonly used phrase in standard English.