Word: postern Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English postern, posterne (“side door or gate; small entranceway; hidden or secret door or passage”), from Late Latin posterna, and from its likely etymon Anglo-Norman posterne and Old French posterne (“hidden exit from a fortified building; back door; small door”) (modern French poterne), a variant of posterle (“back door or passage”) (although this is attested later), possibly also influenced by Latin externus (“external, outward”) and internus (“internal, inward”). Posterle is from Late Latin posterla, posterula (“(small) back door, gate, or way”), from Latin posterus (“coming after, later, next”) (from post (“after; behind”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pós (“afterwards; at, by”)) + -ula (suffix denoting an instrument). The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun. Pronunciation: /ˈpɒst(ə)n/, /ˈpəʊst(ə)n/, /ˈpoʊstəɹn/, /ˈpɑstəɹn/ 1. A back door or gate, side entrance, or other entrance distinct from the main one, especially one that is private or not obvious. Labels: also, attributive Example: Euery houſe hath two doores, one into the ſtrete and a poſternne doore on the backſyde into the gardyne. Example: He by a priuy Poſterne tooke his flight, / That of no enuious eyes he more be ſpyde: / For doubtleſſe death enſevved, if any him deſcryde. 2. A back door or gate, side entrance, or other entrance distinct from the main one, especially one that is private or not obvious. Labels: also, attributive Example: [I]f ſhe vvould repair, on the follovving night, vvhen the Signor vvas retired to reſt, to the poſtern-gate of the caſtle, ſhe ſhould, perhaps, ſee Madame Montoni. Example: In the outwork was a sally-port corresponding to the postern of the castle, and the whole was surrounded by a strong palisade. 3. A back door or gate, side entrance, or other entrance distinct from the main one, especially one that is private or not obvious. Labels: also, attributive, broadly Example: It is as hard to come, as for a Cammell / To threed the poſterne of a ſmall needles eie: […] Example: Thought, buſy Thought! too buſy for my Peace, / Thro' the dark Poſtern of Time long elapſ'd, / Led ſoftly, by the ſtillneſs of the Night, […] 4. A back door or gate, side entrance, or other entrance distinct from the main one, especially one that is private or not obvious. Labels: also, attributive, historical Example: The postern of the enceinte leads through the middle of the curtain, descending from the plane of sight to the ditch. 5. A means of escape; an escape route. Labels: archaic, figuratively Example: The motive of all dangers that ever this Monarchy hath undergone, ſhould be carefully heeded, for this Maxime hath no poſterne: Poteſtas humana radicatur in voluntatibus hominum [human power is rooted in the will of men]. Example: [I]f thou hast dipped thy foot in the river, yet venture not over Rubicon; run not into extremities from whence there is no regression, nor be ever so closely shut up within the holds of vice and iniquity, as not to find some escape by a postern of recipiscency. 6. A dishonourable or unconventional means of doing something. Labels: archaic, figuratively Example: Near-synonym: back door Example: [B]y this poſtern gate commeth in the vvhole mark of Papall Indulgences, a gain uneſtimable unto him, to others a ſpoile, a skorn both to God and Man. 7. The back or rear part of a thing. Labels: figuratively, obsolete Example: Then in the Poſterne of them [named parts of the book] looke, and thou ſhalt find the Poſthume Poems of the Authors Father, comming as neere Kinſemen to the vvorke, being next of blood to the Booke, and yonger brothers to the Authour himſelfe. 8. The buttocks of a person; behind, posterior. Labels: figuratively, obsolete Example: Caſt care at thy poſternes; and firke i' thy fetters; / They are ornaments, Baby, haue graced thy betters: […] Example: But tho' his Countenance vvas ſo ſtern, / Yet from the Regions of his Poſtern, / Drop'd ſomething Saffron-Dye excelling, / Yet ſvveet as Musk, or Civet, Smelling.