posthumous
UK: ˈpɒstjʊməs | US: ˈpɑːstʃʊməs
adj. occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator
adj. (of a child) born after the death of its father
posthumous = post<after> + hum<ground/earth> + ous<adjective suffix>
- post (from Latin post, meaning "after")
- hum (from Latin humus, meaning "ground" or "earth," referring to burial)
- ous (adjective-forming suffix indicating possession or relation)
Etymology Origin:
The word posthumous originates from Latin postumus, meaning "last" or "final," later altered to posthumus due to folk etymology associating it with humus ("earth"). This reflects the idea of something occurring "after burial" (e.g., posthumous fame or a child born after the father's death). The spelling shift reinforced the connection to death and burial.
The artist gained posthumous recognition for her groundbreaking work.
The novel was published posthumously, decades after the author's death.
He was a posthumous child, never meeting his father.
The award was given posthumously to honor his contributions.
Posthumous discoveries of his letters revealed new insights into his life.