posterior

1 of 2

adjective

pos·​te·​ri·​or pō-ˈstir-ē-ər 

pä-

1

: later in time : subsequent

2

: situated behind: such as

a

: caudal

b

of the human body or its parts : dorsal

3

of a plant part : adaxial, superior

posteriorly adverb

posterior

2 of 2

noun

pos·​te·​ri·​or pä-ˈstir-ē-ər 

pō-

: the hinder parts of the body

specifically : buttocks

Did you know?

Posterior comes from the Latin word posterus, meaning "coming after". Posterior is often used as a technical term in biology and medicine to refer to the back side of things, and is the opposite of anterior, which refers to the front side. For example, as more people took up running as a sport, doctors began to see an increase in stress fractures along the posterior as well as the anterior surface of the lower leg bones. In some technical fields, posterior may mean "later". When used as a noun, posterior simply means "buttocks".

Synonyms

Adjective

• aft
• after
• back
• hind
• hinder
• hindmost
• rear
• rearward

Noun

• backside
• behind
• booty [slang]
• bootie
• bottom
• breech
• bum
• buns
• butt
• buttocks
• caboose
• can
• cheeks
• derriere
• derrière
• duff
• fanny
• fundament
• hams
• haunches
• heinie [slang]
• hunkers
• keister [slang]
• keester
• nates
• rear
• rear end
• rump
• seat
• tail
• tail end
• tush [slang]

Examples of posterior in a Sentence

Adjective

the posterior part of the brain

the chapel's posterior location in the church serves to make it a quiet retreat

Noun

The man squeezed his large posterior into the chair.

the baseball players were always slapping one another on the posterior

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In the clip, the Rare Beauty founder shakes her hips, squats to the floor and shows off her posterior to the camera. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019

Fascinatingly, the areas of the brain that were particularly active in pet owners—such as the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex—are involved in self-reflection and processing social information. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024

Noun

The two locked arms around backs, with Jenner's hand dropping south and staying perched on Chalamet's famed posterior for longer than any claims of accidental contact. —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024

Those pert patriotic posteriors are all-natural, made in the U.S.A., baby. —EW.com, 26 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin, comparative of posterus coming after, from post after — more at post-

First Known Use

Adjective

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing posterior

• posterior chamber
• posterior cruciate ligament

Kids Definition

posterior

1 of 2 adjective

pos·​te·​ri·​or pō-ˈstir-ē-ər 

pä-

1

: later in time : subsequent

2

: located behind or toward the back

posteriorly adverb

posterior

2 of 2 noun

pos·​te·​ri·​or pä-ˈstir-ē-ər 

pō-

: the hind end of the body

especially : buttock sense 2a

Medical Definition

posterior

1 of 2 adjective

pos·​te·​ri·​or pō-ˈstir-ē-ər, pä- 

: situated behind: as

a

: situated at or toward the hind part of the body : caudal

b

: dorsal

—used of human anatomy in which the upright posture makes dorsal and caudal identical

posterior

2 of 2 noun

pos·​te·​ri·​or pä-ˈstir-ē-ər, pō- 

: a posterior thing or part: as

a

: the rear end of a quadruped

b

: buttocks