Definition

Relating to something that happens after a person's death, such as a child born after their father's death or a work published after an author's death.

Example

The author received a posthumous award for his contributions to literature.

Conversation

Did you hear about the author's posthumous book release?

Yeah, I saw that! It’s interesting how they found it after all those years.

I wonder what inspired him to write it, even if it was posthumous.

Right? It makes you think about how his ideas still resonate today.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Posthumous → It is formed from "post-" (meaning after) and "humus" (meaning ground or earth, from Latin). The word "posthumous" refers to something that occurs after a person's death, literally meaning 'after the ground' or 'after burial'.

Memory Tip

Think of 'post-' meaning 'after' and 'humus' relating to the 'ground' where a person is buried — this helps you remember that 'posthumous' refers to events that happen after someone's death.

Visually Confused Words