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postern

[ poh-stern, pos-tern ]
/ ˈpoʊ stərn, ˈpɒs tərn /
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See synonyms for: postern / posterns on Thesaurus.com
noun
a back door or gate.
a private entrance or any entrance other than the main one.
adjective
of, relating to, or resembling a postern.
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Origin of postern

1250–1300; Middle English posterne<Old French, variant of posterle<Late Latin posterula, diminutive of postera back door, noun use of feminine of posterus coming behind. See posterior, -ule

Words nearby postern

posterior, posteriority, posterior probability, posterity, posterization, postern, poster paint, post exchange, postexilian, postexilic, post-fact
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to postern

backside, extremity, hind, hindquarters, posterior, rear, reverse, stern, tail, tailpiece, aft, back end, hindmost, tail end

How to use postern in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for postern

postern
/ (ˈpɒstən) /
noun
a back door or gate, esp one that is for private use
adjective
situated at the rear or the side

Word Origin for postern

C13: from Old French posterne, from Late Latin posterula (jānua) a back (entrance), from posterus coming behind; see posterior, posterity
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
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