noun
C2
Proficient
posterity
po-STEH-rih-tee
Posterity (noun) means Future generations, especially someone's descendants. Example: “The letters were preserved for posterity.”
noun
1
Future generations, especially someone's descendants.
"The letters were preserved for posterity."
"She planted the oak tree as a gift to posterity."
How to use posterity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe people who will come after us — future generations who look back on what we leave behind.
Common pairings
for posterity
preserve for posterity
leave to posterity
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Word forms
- Plural
- posterities
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The letters were preserved for _____.
Etymology
From Middle French posterité, from Latin posteritas, based on posterus ('coming after'), itself from post ('after').
Synonyms
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descendants
futurity
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for posterity
See all rhymes for posterity →Frequently asked questions
What does “posterity” mean?
The word “posterity” means future generations, especially someone's descendants. In plain terms, the people who will come after us — future generations who look back on what we leave behind.
How do you pronounce “posterity”?
“Posterity” is pronounced po-STEH-rih-tee (/pɒˈstɛɹɪti/ in IPA).
How do you use “posterity” in a sentence?
Here is “posterity” used in a sentence: “The letters were preserved for posterity.”
What part of speech is “posterity”?
“Posterity” is a noun.
Where does the word “posterity” come from?
The word “posterity” comes from Latin. From Middle French posterité, from Latin posteritas, based on posterus ('coming after'), itself from post ('after').
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