Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “postern” come from?

Postern comes from Old French posterne, from Old French posterle, from Latin posterula, diminutive of posterus meaning situated behind, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root pósti.

postern (English): A back gate, back door, side entrance, or other...

Definitions

  1. A back gate, back door, side entrance, or other...

Ancestry of “postern”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchposternepostern
2Latinposterulaback door
3Latinposterusfollowing, next, coming after; inferior
4Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
5Latinposteablative singular of postis
6Proto-Italicposti—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →