post
/poʊst/
noun
Origin
Latin
postis — doorpost, pillar, or beam
Overview
Meaning Now
- A long, sturdy piece of timber, metal, or concrete set upright in the ground to support a structure or serve as a marker.
- A position of employment or service, especially an official or military station.
- A service or system for the delivery of letters and parcels.
Literal older meaning
An upright piece of timber fixed in the ground.
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
post
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The word evolved from a sense of a physical marker or barrier (doorpost) to signify a fixed military or diplomatic station, and eventually to the mail delivery system, as messages were left at specific 'posts' or stages along a route.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*pōstis
“to stand or fix”
Reconstructed root.
- Latin
postis
“doorpost or pillar”
- Old French
post
“pillar or upright”
- Middle English
post
“pillar or station”
Connections
Word parts
post
root
upright support
Related across languages
French
poste
station or mail
German
mail or postal service
Explore next
Related to post
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.