Aft means toward or at the back part of a ship or aircraft. If a sailor walks aft, they're heading toward the stern (the rear end). The aft section of an airplane contains the tail and often the rear rows of passenger seats.

The opposite of aft is fore (or forward), which means toward the front. On a ship, you might hear commands like “move that cargo aft” or “the captain's quarters are aft of the main deck.” Pilots and sailors use these precise directional words because “back” and “front” can get confusing when a vessel is moving or turning.

Whether a ship faces north or spins in circles, aft always means the same end of the vessel. This consistency prevents dangerous misunderstandings when crews work together.

You might also hear aft used poetically on land, like describing the “aft section” of a long train, though it's less common outside of ships and aircraft.