posthumous

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈpɑs.t͡ʃə.məs/ UK /ˈpɒs.t͡ʃʊ.məs/ See IPA manual

Freq #38042

Meanings

1

adj
occurring or coming into existence after a person's death

A posthumous award.
2

adj
After the death of someone.

The most favorable posthumous history the stay-at-home traitor can hope for is—oblivion.
3

adj
Taking place after one's own death.

Artists obscure during their life often receive posthumous recognition, too late for them to enjoy.
4

adj
In reference to a work, published after the author's death.

His memoirs were his posthumous revenge on enemies he dared not take on alive.

Thesaurus

Opposites

antemortemanthumouspredeathprehumouspremortem

Word family

Forms posthumously

Derived forms nonposthumousposthumouslyposthumousness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

posthumous award
a prize or honor granted after its recipient has died

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Posthumous comes from Latin postumus, meaning “last,” as a child born after its father’s death could be his last child. English added the h under the influence of Latin humus, “ground,” or humare, “to bury,” because those words suggested death and burial.

Etymology

From Latin posthumus, a variant spelling of postumus, superlative form of posterus (“coming after”), the ⟨h⟩ added by association with humus (“ground, earth”) referring to burial.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# posthumous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɑs.t͡ʃə.məs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɒs.t͡ʃʊ.məs/
**Frequency rank:** 38042

## Meanings
1. occurring or coming into existence after a person's death
2. After the death of someone.
3. Taking place after one's own death.
4. In reference to a work, published after the author's death.

## Examples
- A posthumous award.
- The most favorable posthumous history the stay-at-home traitor can hope for is—oblivion.
- Artists obscure during their life often receive posthumous recognition, too late for them to enjoy.
- His memoirs were his posthumous revenge on enemies he dared not take on alive.

## Antonyms
- antemortem
- anthumous
- predeath
- prehumous
- premortem

## Derived Forms
- nonposthumous
- posthumously
- posthumousness

## Etymology
From Latin posthumus, a variant spelling of postumus, superlative form of posterus (“coming after”), the ⟨h⟩ added by association with humus (“ground, earth”) referring to burial.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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