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poster

1 American  
[poh-ster] / ˈpoʊ stər /

noun

  1. a placard or bill posted or intended for posting in a public place, as for advertising.

  2. a large print of a painting, photograph, etc., used to decorate a wall.

    posters of street scenes.

  3. a person who posts bills, placards, etc.

  4. Digital Technology. a person who posts or submits an online message to a message board.

    The previous poster in this thread was off-topic.


poster 2 American  
[poh-ster] / ˈpoʊ stər /

noun

  1. post horse.

  2. Archaic. a person who travels rapidly.


poster British  
/ ˈpəʊstə /

noun

  1. a large printed picture, used for decoration

  2. a placard or bill posted in a public place as an advertisement

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of poster1

First recorded in 1830–40; post 1 + -er 1

Origin of poster2

First recorded in 1595–1605; post 3 + -er 1

Vocabulary lists containing poster

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Music supervisor Randall Poster, Wes Anderson’s longtime collaborator, made multiple playlists for the restaurant, imagined as a score.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

During his three years as the self-proclaimed “AIDS Poster Boy,” Campbell was the target of both scorn and fear.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2024

The Global Poster Gallery features art commissioned by London transport bosses dating back more than a century.

From BBC • Oct. 21, 2023

Angelina Lippert, Poster House’s chief curator and director of content, described the show as “the first global history of Art Deco posters hosted at a museum.”

From New York Times • Aug. 31, 2023

At a solidarity rally held in Tison's honor, picketers wore T-shirts that read "Race-Baiting Should Be a Crime" while holding signs featuring Tison's face and the words "Protector not Poster Child."

From "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone

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