post·hu·mous / ˈpäschəməs; pästˈ(h)yoōməs/ • adj. occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator: he was awarded a posthumous Military Cross a posthumous collection of his articles. ∎  (of a child) born after the death of its father.DERIVATIVES: post·hu·mous·ly adv.

posthumous born after the father's death; appearing or occurring after death. XVII. f. L. postumus last of all, spec. applied as in first sense, used as superl. of post after (see POST6), later assoc. with humus ground, humāre bury, whence the sp. with h.