Words at Play : 10 Words With Confusing Pronunciations
#10: Posthumous
Pronunciation:
\ˈpäs-chə-məs also -tə-, ‑tyə‑, -thə-; päst-ˈhyü-məs, ˈpōst-, -ˈyü-\
Definition:
: happening, done, or published after someone's death
About the Word:
Posthumous is an alteration of a Latin term meaning "late-born." Originally, in the early seventeenth century, it was applied to a person born after the death of his or her father. The word has expanded in meaning over the centuries to describe anything occurring after death.
The word has also acquired seven different acceptable pronunciations along the way. No wonder it's one of our most requested pronunciations.
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