postseason
UK: /ˈpəʊstˌsiːz(ə)n/ | US: /ˈpoʊstˌsiːz(ə)n/
n. a period of games or competitions occurring after the regular season, typically to determine a champion.
The word "postseason" combines the prefix "post-" (from Latin post, meaning "after") with the noun "season" (from Old French seson, originally denoting a sowing or planting period, later generalized to any marked time span). In sports terminology, "season" refers to the scheduled period of regular games, while "postseason" logically extends this to the playoff or championship phase following it. The term emerged in the early 20th century with the formalization of structured sports leagues.
The team’s strong performance secured them a spot in the postseason.
Postseason games often draw higher TV ratings than regular-season matches.
Injuries during the postseason can drastically affect a team’s chances of winning.
She scored the decisive goal in last year’s postseason.
Fans eagerly anticipate the excitement of postseason baseball every October.