After someone's death; describes something that happens or is published/awarded after a person has died.
From Latin 'postumus' (last-born), combined with 'humus' (earth/ground), literally referring to a child born after the father's death. The -ly adverb suffix was added in English.
Some of the world's most famous works were published posthumously—like Emily Dickinson's poems and Vincent van Gogh's paintings—meaning these artists never knew how celebrated they would become, which is bittersweet and kind of tragic.
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