posthumous

[ pos-chuh-muhs, -choo- ]
See synonyms for posthumous on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. arising, occurring, or continuing after one's death: a posthumous award for bravery.

  2. published after the death of the author: a posthumous novel.

  1. born after the death of the father.

Origin of posthumous

1
First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin postumus “last-born, born after the death of the father” (in form a superlative of posterus; see posterior); post-classical spelling with h by association with humus “ground, earth,” as if referring to burial

Other words from posthumous

  • post·hu·mous·ly, adverb
  • post·hu·mous·ness, noun
  • non·post·hu·mous, adjective

Words Nearby posthumous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use posthumous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for posthumous

posthumous

/ (ˈpɒstjʊməs) /


adjective
  1. happening or continuing after one's death

  2. (of a book, etc) published after the author's death

  1. (of a child) born after the father's death

Origin of posthumous

1
C17: from Latin postumus the last, but modified as though from Latin post after + humus earth, that is, after the burial

Derived forms of posthumous

  • posthumously, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012