postmedian
|post-med-i-an|
🇺🇸
/poʊstˈmiːdiən/
🇬🇧
/pəʊstˈmiːdiən/
after the middle
Etymology
'postmedian' originates from the Latin prefix 'post-' meaning 'after' combined with Latin 'medianus' (from 'medius') meaning 'middle'.
'postmedian' was formed in scientific/modern English from the combination of Latin elements (compare Medieval/Scientific Latin 'postmedianus') and was adopted into English usage in descriptive anatomy and zoology as 'postmedian'.
Initially it meant 'after the middle' in a literal positional sense, and over time it has retained that core meaning in modern scientific and descriptive contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
located or situated posterior to the middle; occurring after the median line (used especially in biology and descriptive anatomy, e.g. describing wing patterns).
The moth has a distinct postmedian band on its forewing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/03 19:39