posthumous

American  

[pos-chuh-muhs, -choo-] / ˈpɒs tʃə məs, -tʃʊ- /

adjective

1. arising, occurring, or continuing after one's death.

   a posthumous award for bravery.

2. published after the death of the author.

   a posthumous novel.

3. born after the death of the father.

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posthumous British  

/ ˈpɒstjʊməs /

adjective

1. happening or continuing after one's death

2. (of a book, etc) published after the author's death

3. (of a child) born after the father's death

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Other Word Forms

• nonposthumous adjective
• posthumously adverb
• posthumousness noun

Etymology

Origin of posthumous

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin postumus “last-born, born after the death of the father” (in form a superlative of posterus; posterior ); post-classical spelling with h by association with humus “ground, earth,” as if referring to burial

Explanation

If something happens after someone dies, it is described as posthumous — like the posthumous interest in the music of a singer who died "a nobody." The adjective posthumous comes from Latin — post means "after" and humare, "to bury." (You might also think of humus, which means "dirt" or "earth.") So something that is posthumous happens after a person is dead, like the posthumous discovery that your humble neighbor who lived very modestly was actually a multi-millionaire, or the posthumous publication of a book that the writer finished just before she died.

Example Sentences

But he says nothing about its posthumous Off Broadway production, in 2023, which played to packed houses and mixed reviews — not quite the valedictory Sondheim would have wanted.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne was awarded a posthumous lifetime achievement award, seven months after his death at the age of 76.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

I confess I’m not impervious to the posthumous allure.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Sunday paid tribute to Afrobeat king Fela Kuti after his posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys, the first African artist to be honoured this way.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

Now after thirty-four years, the commemorations and interviews and presentations of posthumous honors have almost stopped, so that for months at a time Dedd is able to take up her own life again.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez