posterity

American  

[po-ster-i-tee] / pɒˈstɛr ɪ ti /

noun

1. succeeding or future generations collectively.

   Judgment of this age must be left to posterity.

2. all descendants of one person.

   His fortune was gradually dissipated by his posterity.

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posterity British  

/ pɒˈstɛrɪtɪ /

noun

1. future or succeeding generations

2. all of one's descendants

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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

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

But praise was poured upon the humble pint's place in the nation's history, cultural life and language, and the government moved to ensure the measurement was preserved for posterity.

From BBC

There’s a stirring moment when Mikki frantically draws his memories of Iris and Arco on the wall of a cave for posterity.

From Los Angeles Times

The audience was breathless not only with excitement but with phone activity recording the encounter for digital posterity.

From Los Angeles Times

Many of the photographed women look directly at the camera, conscious of their political activity being documented for posterity.

From BBC