postposition

American  

[pohst-puh-zish-uhn, pohst-puh-zish-uhn] / ˌpoʊst pəˈzɪʃ ən, ˈpoʊst pəˌzɪʃ ən /

noun

1. the act of placing after.

2. the state of being so placed.

3. Grammar.

   1. the use of words, particles, or affixes following the elements they modify or govern, as of the adjective general in attorney general, or of the particle e “to” in Japanese Tokyo e “to Tokyo.”

   2. a word, particle, or affix so used.

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postposition British  

/ ˌpəʊstpəˈzɪʃən /

noun

1. placement of a modifier or other speech element after the word that it modifies or to which it is syntactically related

2. a word or speech element so placed

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Other Word Forms

• postpositional adjective
• postpositionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of postposition

1540–50; post- + position or (pre)position ¹

Example Sentences

The usual genitive postposition is k, which has become a suffix, and now forms part of the word to which it is attached, a final preceding vowel being frequently shortened.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Slice 7 "Bible" to "Bisectrix" by Various

The accusative case in nouns is marked by a postposition, ku, as in Hindustani.

From The Seven Great Monarchies Of The Ancient Eastern World, Vol 1. (of 7): Chaldaea The History, Geography, And Antiquities Of Chaldaea, Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia, Parthia, And Sassanian or New Persian Empire; With Maps and Illustrations. by Rawlinson, George

When the noun to which they are suffixed has a double form, the postposition is added to the short form.

From The Mafulu Mountain People of British New Guinea by Williamson, Robert Wood

When the postposition begins with a consonant, the final e of a noun changes to i.

From The Mafulu Mountain People of British New Guinea by Williamson, Robert Wood

As this suffix is never employed to indicate a material instrument but here only to indicate the agent or subject of a verb, it is called the postposition of the “agent” case.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 4 "Hero" to "Hindu Chronology" by Various