posthumous
[ pos-chuh-muh s, -choo- ]
/ ˈpɒs tʃə məs, -tʃʊ- /
adjective
arising, occurring, or continuing after one's death: a posthumous award for bravery.
published after the death of the author: a posthumous novel.
born after the death of the father.
Origin of posthumous
1600–10; < 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, adjectiveWords nearby posthumous
Example sentences from the Web for posthumous
British Dictionary definitions for posthumous
posthumous
/ (ˈpɒstjʊməs) /
adjective
happening or continuing after one's death
(of a book, etc) published after the author's death
(of a child) born after the father's death
Derived forms of posthumous
posthumously, adverbWord Origin for posthumous
C17: from Latin
postumus the last, but modified as though from Latin
post after +
humus earth, that is, after the burial