posthumously

American  

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

adverb

1. after a person’s death, typically the death of the author or other artist.

   The sculpture, designed in 1967 by American artist Tony Smith, was exhibited posthumously.

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Etymology

Origin of posthumously

posthumous ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Posthumously is an adverb that helps describe something that happens to a person after they die, whether it happens to their estate, their life’s work, or the memory of them that remains. The prefix post- means “after,” and the Latin word humus means “ground.” Add the suffix -ly and that lets you use the word to describe some action taken after someone’s dead and in the ground, like posthumously naming a street after a dead politician, or posthumously publishing a new book written by an author who died years ago. The word doesn’t sound how it looks, so pronounce it like this: POSS-chew-muss-lee.

Example Sentences

After learning of the story, the authorities in Uzbekistan decided to posthumously award John and Phyllis Le Breton the Order of Friendship - one of the highest state awards - for their "courage and compassion".

From BBC • May 5, 2026

After Chavez’s death in 1993, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026

Coady, who was posthumously promoted from specialist, had awards and decorations including the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon, the military said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

O’Hara is the first woman in the history of the Screen Actors Guild to earn an individual trophy posthumously.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

In England, Francis Godwin’s fictional The Man in the Moone appeared posthumously in 1638—it had been written some time after 1628—and was translated into French and German.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton