postmundane
|post-mun-dane|
🇺🇸
/poʊstˈmʌndeɪn/
🇬🇧
/pəʊstˈmʌndeɪn/
after the worldly / beyond the mundane
Etymology
'postmundane' originates from the Latin prefix 'post-' meaning 'after' combined with 'mundane', which derives from Latin 'mundanus' ultimately from 'mundus' meaning 'world'.
'mundane' entered English via Latin 'mundanus' (and Old French forms) meaning 'of the world'; the modern English compound 'postmundane' is formed by the productive English prefix 'post-' + 'mundane' to mean 'after the world' or 'beyond the worldly'.
Initially the components literally meant 'after' + 'world'; in modern usage the compound has been used to refer to 'afterlife' senses and more broadly to anything 'beyond ordinary worldly experience'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to, occurring after, or beyond the world or worldly life; pertaining to the afterlife or a state beyond ordinary physical existence.
Many theological texts discuss the postmundane destiny of the soul.
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Adjective 2
beyond the ordinary or commonplace; transcending mundane concerns or ordinary experience (used more broadly in literature, philosophy, or speculative contexts).
The novel imagines a postmundane society in which human priorities have radically shifted.
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Last updated: 2025/10/04 00:13