Definition of postscript

The word "postscript" originated in Latin and was adopted into English during the Renaissance. Its literal meaning is "something written after the end" or "something added at the end." In the medieval period, scribes would sometimes add additional information or remarks at the end of a letter in order to clarify or expand upon what had been written. This information was often introduced with the phrase "subscriptio" in Latin, which means "something written underneath." However, as more documents and letters began to be written on a single page, it became more common for these additional notes to be added at the end rather than underneath. As a result, the term "postscriptum" began to be used to refer to these add-ons, indicating that they were written after the main text. In English, the word was originally spelled "postsc Harper" and was commonly used in the 16th and 17th centuries, but it eventually evolved into "postscript" as we know it today. Today, the term "postscript" is still commonly used to refer to additional messages or remarks that are added at the end of a letter, email, or other document. Some people also use it colloquially to mean something that is said or done after the event that it refers to, as a sort of afterthought.