Posterity Meaning
/pɒˈstɛɹɪti/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAll the future generations, especially the descendants of a specific person.
nounFuture audiences, future times, future recognition.
Sentence Examples
We must hand down our craft to posterity.
These paintings will be left here for posterity.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The time capsule was buried to be opened by ____, the people of the future.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The architect hoped that the building would stand as a monument to ____ for centuries to come.
Word Origin & History
Late 14th century, from Middle French posterité, from Latin posteritas, from posterus (“following, coming after”), from post (“after”) (English post-).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"That woman foretold and inflicted a singular disease on Sigvard and his posterity till the ninth generation, and several of his descendants are to this day afflicted with it."
— 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 252:
"The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, so that the actual structure which had come down to posterity retained the secret magic of a promise rather than the overpowering splendour of a great architectural achievement."
— 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The time capsule was buried to be opened by ____, the people of the future.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The architect hoped that the building would stand as a monument to ____ for centuries to come.