How Do You Spell POSTERITY?

Pronunciation: [pɒstˈɛɹɪti] (IPA)

The word "posterity" /pɑːˈstɛrɪti/ refers to future generations, offspring, or descendants. Its spelling comes from the Latin word "posteritas," which means "future generations." The IPA phonetic transcription breaks down the pronunciation of the word into individual sounds. The first sound, /pɑː/, is the vowel sound in "father." The second sound, /st/, is a consonant cluster followed by the vowel sound /ɛ/. The final sound, /rɪti/, is a combination of the consonant sound /r/ and the vowel sound /ɪ/.

POSTERITY Meaning and Definition

  1. Posterity is a noun that refers to all future generations or descendants. It is derived from the Latin word "posteritas," which means "future generations" or "coming after."

    In broader terms, posterity encompasses all individuals who come after a particular person or current generation. It is commonly used when referring to the successors or heirs of a specific lineage or family tree. Furthermore, it can also denote the collective descendants of an entire society or humankind as a whole.

    The concept of posterity often conveys a sense of continuity, emphasizing the significance of preserving knowledge, values, and traditions for the benefit of future generations. It encapsulates the idea that the actions, achievements, and decisions made today will have enduring consequences and impact on those who will follow.

    The idea of posterity is closely associated with notions of legacy, inheritance, and the passing down of ancestral heritage. It implies a sense of responsibility to leave behind a better world, ensuring the well-being and progress of those who will inherit what has been built.

    Furthermore, posterity is often mentioned in philosophical, ethical, and legal contexts, guiding the formulation of principles and laws that aim to protect the interests and rights of future generations and uphold intergenerational equity.

    In summary, posterity refers to all future generations and descendants, highlighting the importance of preserving knowledge, values, and traditions for the benefit of those who will come after us.

  2. Descendants; succeeding generations; opposed to ancestors.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for POSTERITY *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for POSTERITY

Etymology of POSTERITY

The word posterity is derived from the Latin term posteritas, which is composed of posterus meaning coming after or following, and -tas, a suffix indicating state or condition. The word posterus ultimately traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *pos(t)-, which conveys the idea of behind or after. Over time, posteritas evolved into posterite in Old French and then posteritie in Middle English, before settling into its current form, posterity.

Similar spelling words for POSTERITY

Plural form of POSTERITY is POSTERITIES

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