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posture

[pos-cher]
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noun
  1. the relative disposition of the parts of something.
  2. the position of the limbs or the carriage of the body as a whole: poor posture; a sitting posture.
  3. an affected or unnatural attitude: He struck a comic posture.
  4. a mental or spiritual attitude: His ideas reveal a defensive posture.
  5. one's image or policy as perceived by the public, other nations, etc.: The company wants to develop a more aggressive marketing posture.
  6. position, condition, or state, as of affairs.
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verb (used with object), pos·tured, pos·tur·ing.
  1. to place in a particular posture or attitude.
  2. to position, especially strategically: to posture troops along a border.
  3. to develop a policy or stance for (oneself, a company, government, etc.): The White House postured itself for dealing with the fuel crisis.
  4. to adopt an attitude or take an official position on (a matter): The company postured that the court's ruling could be interpreted as being in its favor.
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verb (used without object), pos·tured, pos·tur·ing.
  1. to assume a particular posture.
  2. to assume affected or unnatural postures, as by bending or contorting the body.
  3. to act in an affected or artificial manner, as to create a certain impression.
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Origin of posture

1595–1605; < French < Italian postura < Latin positūra. See posit, -ure
Related formspos·tur·al, adjectivepos·tur·er, noun

Synonyms

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2. See position.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for posture

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • He was sitting yonder when I began to dress, and has scarcely changed his posture since.

    Barnaby Rudge

    Charles Dickens

  • Our posture must be that of holy reverence, of quiet waiting and adoration.

  • Try and recall the posture of your affairs, when I extricated you and brought you to Seuthes.

    Anabasis

    Xenophon

  • She felt the indecorum of the posture he had condescended to take, and was shocked.

    A Simple Story

    Mrs. Inchbald

  • Whoever has need of another is indigent, and assumes a posture.

British Dictionary definitions for posture

posture

noun
  1. a position or attitude of the limbs or body
  2. a characteristic manner of bearing the body; carriageto have good posture
  3. the disposition of the parts of a visible object
  4. a mental attitude or frame of mind
  5. a state, situation, or condition
  6. a false or affected attitude; pose
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verb
  1. to assume or cause to assume a bodily position or attitude
  2. (intr) to assume an affected or unnatural bodily or mental posture; pose
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Derived Formspostural, adjectiveposturer, noun

Word Origin

C17: via French from Italian postura, from Latin positūra, from pōnere to place
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

Word Origin and History for posture

n.

c.1600, from French posture (16c.), from Italian postura "position, posture," from Latin positura "position, station," from postulus, past participle of ponere "put, place" (see position (n.)).

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v.

1620s, literal, from posture (n.). The figurative sense of "take up an artificial mental position" is attested from 1877. Related: Postured; posturing.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
posture in Medicine

posture

(pŏs′chər)
n.
  1. A position of the body or of body parts.
  2. A characteristic or prescribed way of bearing one's body; carriage.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.