Dictionary

posthumous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpɑs.t͡ʃə.məs/ (US)
• /ˈpɒs.t͡ʃʊ.məs/ (UK)

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.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) After the death of someone.
   • The most favorable posthumous history the stay-at-home traitor can hope for is—oblivion. 1885, Ulysses S. Grant, “Chapter IV”, in The Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, New York, United States: Charles L. Webster & Co., page 68:
2. (not-comparable) Taking place after one's own death.
   • Artists obscure during their life often receive posthumous recognition, too late for them to enjoy.
3. (not-comparable) In reference to a work, published after the author's death.
   • Eight posthumous albums have been released to date – two more than the man managed in his lifetime – often with conspiracy-baiting titles such as Still I Rise and Tupac Resurrection. 2012 April 17, Alex Macpherson, “Tupac's hologram reflects another milestone in his mythology”, in The Guardian:
   • His memoirs were his posthumous revenge on enemies he dared not take on alive.
4. (not-comparable) In reference to a musical opus, published or initially performed after the composer's death.
5. (not-comparable, qualifier:originally) Born after the death of one's father.
   • Posthumous orphans never even knew their fathers.

Forms

Antonyms

prehumous · antemortem · premortem · anthumous · predeath

Deriveds

posthumousness · nonposthumous · posthumous name · posthumous marriage · posthumous work · posthumous execution · posthumously

Synonyms

post mortem · post obitum

Translations (69)

es póstumo (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · gl póstumo (born after one's father's death) · pl pośmiertny (taking place after one's death) · el μεταθανάτιος (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · nl postuum (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · it postumo (taking place after one's death) · el κοιλάρφανος (born after one's father's death) · vi but see truy tặng (taking place after one's death) · pt póstumo (taking place after one's death) · cy ar ôl marwolaeth (taking place after one's death) · ca pòstum (born after one's father's death) · nl posthuum (born after one's father's death) · de postum (taking place after one's death) · uk посме́ртний (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · de postum (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · nl postuum (taking place after one's death) · io posmorta (taking place after one's death) · nl postuum (born after one's father's death) · fr posthume (taking place after one's death) · cmn 死後發表的 /死后发表的 (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · fi postuumi (born after one's father's death) · ca pòstum (taking place after one's death) · sv postum (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · fi kuolemanjälkeinen (taking place after one's death) · es póstumo (born after one's father's death) · ru посме́ртный (taking place after one's death) · be пасмяротны (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · cy ôl-anedig (born after one's father's death) · fi postuumi (taking place after one's death) · ky өлгөндөн кийин (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · cmn 遺腹 /遗腹 (born after one's father's death) · nl posthuum (taking place after one's death) · ru посме́ртный (born after one's father's death) · hy հետմահու (taking place after one's death) · io postuma (born after one's father's death) · mi murimate (taking place after one's death) · cy ôl-argraffedig (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · uk посме́ртний (taking place after one's death) · sv postum (taking place after one's death) · pl pośmiertny (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · id anumerta (taking place after one's death) · el μεταθανάτιος (taking place after one's death) · fi postuumi (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · pt póstumo (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · el οψιγενής (born after one's father's death) · ru посме́ртный (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · bg посмъртен (taking place after one's death) · be пасмяротны (taking place after one's death) · it postumo (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · hi मरणोपरांत (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · de posthum (taking place after one's death) · gl póstumo (taking place after one's death) · hy հետմահու (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · hu posztumusz (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · pt póstumo (born after one's father's death) · fr posthume (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · de posthum (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · da posthum (taking place after one's death) · cs posmrtný (taking place after one's death) · hu utószülött (born after one's father's death) · cmn 死後出版的 /死后出版的 (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · hi मरणोत्तर (taking place after one's death) · eo postmorta (taking place after one's death) · gd phost-humhain (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · ga iarbháis (taking place after one's death) · nl posthuum (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · da posthum (in reference to a work, published after the author's death) · es póstumo (taking place after one's death) · ca pòstum (in reference to a work, published after the author's death)