post

1 of 8

noun (1)

ˈpōst 

1

: a piece (as of timber or metal) fixed firmly in an upright position especially as a stay or support : pillar, column

2

: a pole or stake set up to mark or indicate something

especially : a pole that marks the starting or finishing point of a horse race

3

a

: goalpost

b

: a football passing play in which the receiver runs downfield before turning towards the middle of the field

4

: the metal stem of a pierced earring

5

: a metallic fitting attached to an electrical device (such as a storage battery) for convenience in making connections

post

2 of 8

verb (1)

posted; posting; posts

transitive verb

1

: to affix to a usual place (such as a wall) for public notices : placard

2

a

: to publish, announce, or advertise by or as if by use of a placard

b

: to denounce by public notice

c

: to enter on a public listing

d

: to forbid (property) to trespassers under penalty of legal prosecution by notices placed along the boundaries

e

: score

posted a 70 in the final round

3

: to publish (something, such as a message) in an online forum (such as a social media site)

post

3 of 8

noun (2)

1

: something (such as a message) that is published online

2

chiefly British

a

: a nation's organization for handling mail

also : the mail handled

b(1)

: a single dispatch of mail

(2)

: letter sense 2a

c

: post office

d

: postbox

3

archaic

a

: one of a series of stations for keeping horses for relays

b

: the distance between any two such consecutive stations : stage

4

obsolete : courier

post

4 of 8

verb (2)

posted; posting; posts

transitive verb

1

: to make familiar with a subject : inform

kept her posted on the latest gossip

2

: mail

post a letter

3

a

: to transfer or carry from a book of original entry to a ledger

b

: to make transfer entries in

4

archaic : to dispatch in haste

intransitive verb

1

: to rise from the saddle and return to it in rhythm with a horse's trot

2

: to ride or travel with haste : hurry

3

: to travel with post-horses

post

5 of 8

adverb

: with post-horses : express

post

6 of 8

noun (3)

1

a

: the place at which a soldier is stationed

especially : a sentry's beat or station

b

: a station or task to which one is assigned

c

: the place at which a body of troops is stationed : camp

d

: a local subdivision of a veterans' organization

e

: one of two bugle calls sounded (as in the British army) at tattoo

2

a

: an office or position to which a person is appointed

b

: an area on a basketball court that is located just outside the free throw lane usually near the basket

also : the offensive position of a player occupying the post

3

a

: trading post, settlement

b

: a trading station on the floor of a stock exchange

post

7 of 8

verb (3)

posted; posting; posts

transitive verb

1

a

: to station in a given place

guards were posted at the doors

b

: to carry ceremoniously to a position

posting the colors

2

chiefly British : to assign to a unit, position, or location (as in the military or civil service)

3

: to put up

O'Brien claims city cops roughed him up and refused to let him post bond.

—Jeffrey Ressner

post-

8 of 8

prefix

1

a

: after : subsequent : later

postdate

b

: behind : posterior : following after

postlude

postconsonantal

2

a

: subsequent to : later than

postoperative

b

: posterior to

postorbital

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• column
• pier
• pilaster
• pillar
• stanchion

Verb (1)

• placard

Noun (2)

• correspondence
• mail
• matter
• parcel post
• snail mail

Verb (2)

• mail

Noun (3)

• assignment
• brief
• business
• charge
• detail
• job
• mission
• operation

Verb (3)

• detail
• station

Examples of post in a Sentence

Noun (1)

hung the hammock between a tree and a post in the fence

Verb (1)

the student organizations generally post their announcements on the campus bulletin board

posted the students' grades

Noun (2)

the post always comes at tea time

Verb (2)

be sure to post the letter this afternoon

Noun (3)

selling lemonade was my post at the church fair

he wisely stayed at his post during the emergency

she's held a number of teaching posts at local colleges

Verb (3)

the police are planning to post an officer outside the hospital room of the witness

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This post, which received widespread criticism, mirrors similar content circulating on social media. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024

Next year when January 6 insurrectionists and election saboteurs like Tina Peter are pardoned and election deniers and their silent enablers assume cabinet posts and leadership of powerful congressional committees, try not to be cynical. —Krista Kafer, The Denver Post, 11 Nov. 2024

Verb

Sharing a few highlights from the show on her Instagram Stories, 22-year-old Indiana Fever star Clark first posted a photo from her vantage point in the audience showing Swift's support act Gracie Abrams performing. —Jack Irvin, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024

Ghostly aurora from space On Halloween, NASA Earth posted a picture to X of the aurora borealis taken from space on October 11, 2024 during a G4 geomagnetic storm. —Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin postis; probably akin to Latin por- forward and to Latin stare to stand — more at portend, stand

Noun (2)

Middle French poste relay station, courier, from Old Italian posta relay station, from feminine of posto, past participle of porre to place, from Latin ponere — more at position

Noun (3)

Middle French poste, from Old Italian posto, from past participle of porre to place

Prefix

Middle English, from Latin, from post; akin to Lithuanian pas at, Greek apo away from — more at of

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

circa 1640, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun (2)

1507, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb (2)

1533, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Adverb

1549, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb (3)

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing post

• ante-post
• as deaf as a post
• by return of post
• command post
• ex post facto
• from pillar to post
• king post
• listening post
• parcel post
• post-acute COVID syndrome
• post chaise
• post-Christian
• post-communion
• post-COVID syndrome
• post-Darwinian
• post-Depression
• post-Einsteinian
• post-eruption
• post exchange
• post-exposure
• post-exposure prophylaxis
• post-free
• post-Freudian
• post hoc
• post-Holocaust
• post horn
• post-horse
• post-Kantian
• post meridiem
• post no bills
• post-nuclear
• post oak
• post office
• post office box
• post-op
• post-polio syndrome
• post-racial
• post-Reformation
• post-resurrection
• post road
• post-Romantic
• post-structuralism
• post time
• post-traumatic
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• post up
• post-Victorian
• queen post
• registered post
• scratching post
• staging post
• the last post
• trading post
• whipping post
• winning post

Kids Definition

post

1 of 7 noun

ˈpōst 

1

: a piece of timber or metal fixed upright especially as a support : pillar

2

: a pole or stake set up as a marker

the starting post

3

: a metallic fixture attached to an electrical device (as a battery) for making connections

post

2 of 7 verb

1

a

: to fix notices to or on a suitable place (as a bulletin board)

b

: to publish or announce by or as if by a notice

posted the students' grades

2

: to forbid persons from entering or using by putting up warning notices

post a trout stream

3

: score entry 2 sense 1a

posted a 72 for the round

4

: to publish (as a message) in an online forum

post

3 of 7 noun

1

chiefly British : postal service

2

chiefly British : the mail handled by the post

3

chiefly British : a single shipment of mail

4

: something (as a message) that is posted online

post

4 of 7 verb

1

: to ride or travel with haste : hurry

2

: mail entry 2

3

: to transfer a bookkeeping item from a book of original entry to an account book

4

: to make familiar with a subject : inform

post

5 of 7 noun

1

a

: the place at which a soldier or guard is stationed

b

: a station or task to which a person is assigned

c

: a place to which troops are assigned : camp

2

: an office or position to which a person is appointed

3

: trading post

post

6 of 7 verb

1

: to station in a given place

post a guard

2

: to give as a guarantee of payment

post a bond

post-

7 of 7 prefix

1

a

: after : later

postdate

b

: behind

2

: following : later than

postscript

Etymology

Noun

Old English post "an upright timber for support, pillar," from Latin postis (same meaning)

Noun

from early French poste "a relay station, one who carries messages," from early Italian posta "relay station," derived from porre (verb) "to place," from Latin ponere "to place" — related to post entry 5

Noun

from early French poste "place where soldiers are stationed," from early Italian posto (same meaning), derived from porre (verb) "to place," from Latin ponere "to place" — related to post entry 3

Prefix

derived from Latin post "after, later"

Legal Definition

post

transitive verb

: to put up (as bond)

post bail

Biographical Definition

Post

biographical name

ˈpōst 

Emily 1872–1960 née Price American columnist and writer