posterity
Americannoun
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succeeding or future generations collectively.
Judgment of this age must be left to posterity.
-
all descendants of one person.
His fortune was gradually dissipated by his posterity.
noun
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future or succeeding generations
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all of one's descendants
Etymology
Origin of posterity
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English posterite, from Old French postérité, from Latin posteritāt-, stem of posteritās, noun derivative of posterus “coming after”; posterior, -ity
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.
If the well-being of American posterity dictates our policy decisions, fixing this problem should be our first step.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026
When Deffand was asked to contribute her letters to Voltaire to a posthumous edition of his correspondence, she refused; she did not want to give posterity “any occasion for myself to be spoken of.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
Many of the photographed women look directly at the camera, conscious of their political activity being documented for posterity.
From BBC • Nov. 29, 2025
President Emmanuel Macron inside the Pantheon said Badinter's voice would ring out in posterity.
From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025
Their faces command relatives in foreign lands—“Send money”—and posterity forever—“Put food in front of this picture.”
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
