[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/posterior/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [P](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/p/) / posterior

# posterior

adjective (posterior — formal/science); noun (a posterior, posteriors — humorous)

«posterior» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (formal, science) Posterior means at the back or behind; it is the opposite of anterior (at the front). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#m1)
2. (formal) Posterior can also mean later in time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#m2)
3. (humorous) Someone's posterior is their bottom. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science and medicine lessons it names the back part of an animal or body (the posterior legs of a frog, the posterior part of the brain). In stories it is a jokey, polite-sounding word for a person's bottom, used to be funny. In maths and statistics for older pupils, "posterior" names a probability updated after new evidence.

### Examples

- The posterior legs of a frog are longer than the front legs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#x1)
- The doctor checked the posterior part of the knee. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#x2)
- A fish's tail is at its posterior end. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#x3)
- (humorous) He slipped on the ice and landed on his posterior. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#x4)
- (humorous) "Get your posterior off the sofa and help!" said Gran. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#x5)
- The ear's posterior side is the side facing the back of your head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#x6)
- In science we label anterior (front) and posterior (back) on the diagram. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/#x7)

### Note

Pair to learn: anterior = front, posterior = back. Formal or scientific; in daily talk say "back" or "bottom". Not the same as "poster". The humorous sense is mild, not rude.

## In Jewish tradition

In science and medicine lessons it names the back part of an animal or body (the posterior legs of a frog, the posterior part of the brain). In stories it is a jokey, polite-sounding word for a person's bottom, used to be funny. In maths and statistics for older pupils, "posterior" names a probability updated after new evidence.

### Examples

- Moses auditoribus in secundo divinse veritatis loco, hoc est in ratione quoe est posterior authoritate, habitus." Parisiis, 1552. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/posterior/#x1)
- Moses auditoribus in secundo divinæ veritatis loco, hoc est in ratione quœ est posterior authoritate, habitus." Parisiis, 1552. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/posterior/#x2)

### Note

Pair to learn: anterior = front, posterior = back. Formal or scientific; in daily talk say "back" or "bottom". Not the same as "poster". The humorous sense is mild, not rude.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «posterior» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/posterior/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«posterior» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/posterior.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «posterior» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/posterior/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«posterior» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/posterior.html) on Mova free.