post-classical
|post-class-ic-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌpoʊstˈklæsɪkəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌpəʊstˈklæsɪk(ə)l/
after the classical period
Etymology
'post-classical' originates from the Latin prefix 'post-' (specifically the Latin word 'post') meaning 'after', combined with 'classical', which originates from Latin 'classicus'.
'post-' (Latin 'post') + 'classical' (from Latin 'classicus' → Old French/Medieval Latin forms → Middle English 'classical') combined in modern English to form the compound adjective 'post-classical'.
Initially used in scholarly descriptions to mean simply 'after the classical period', the term has broadened in modern usage to describe later periods, styles, or aesthetic approaches that follow or react to classical conventions.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to the time period or cultural phase that comes after the classical era (in history, literature, art, etc.).
Scholars study post-classical literature to trace changes in language and society after the classical period.
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Adjective 2
describing a style or approach that follows or departs from the conventions of the classical style (used in discussions of music, art, or aesthetics).
The composer incorporated post-classical harmonies into his late works.
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Last updated: 2026/01/03 06:37