3 syllables: Po, ster, ior. Stress on ster.
paw-STIR-yur
/ˌpɔˈstɪɹjɚ/
Posterior is pronounced paw-STIR-yur (/ˌpɔˈstɪɹjɚ/). It has three syllables (Po-ster-ior), with the stress on "ster". Posterior is an adjective meaning situated behind or at the back part of something. In medical or anatomical contexts it refers to the rear surface or posterior aspect, as opposed to anterior. It can also describe relative position in comparisons (e.g., posterior to the knee). The term carries formal, technical connotations and is common in scientific or clinical prose.
adjectivePosterior is an adjective meaning situated behind or at the back part of something. In medical or anatomical contexts it refers to the rear surface or posterior aspect, as opposed to anterior. It can also describe relative position in comparisons (e.g., posterior to the knee). The term carries formal, technical connotations and is common in scientific or clinical prose.
"The posterior wall of the skull protects the brain."
"In anatomy, the posterior aspect is analyzed separately from the anterior surface."
"The patient reported pain in the posterior thigh region."
Pronounce as /poʊˈstɪər.iər/ in US, with primary stress on the second syllable. The first syllable sounds like ‘poe’ (as in ‘poem’ without the m), the second syllable has a mid-front vowel /ɪə/ in many accents, followed by a lightly reduced final /ər/ or /iər/. Keep the /st/ cluster crisp, and end with a rounded, neutral syllable. You’ll hear the emphasis shift to the middle syllable in natural speech; practice by saying poe-STEER-ee-ur while keeping the mouth relaxed but the tongue close to the alveolar ridge for the /st/ and the /ɪə/ glide.
Two common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (po-STER-ior) instead of the second. (2) Slurring the /t/ into the /s/ or turning /ɪə/ into a simple /i/ or /ə/. To correct: practice the exact stress pattern as /poʊˈstɪə.ɹ/; enunciate the /st/ clearly and keep the vowel portion tense enough to avoid a lazy schwa. Also ensure the final /ər/ has a clean rhotacized or non-rhotacized ending depending on your accent, not a hard ‘er’ mispronunciation.
US: /poʊˈstɪər.i.ɚ/ with rhotic quality in the final syllable; stress on the second syllable. UK: /pəˈstɪəri.ə/ or /pɒˈstɪəriə/ with less pronounced /ɪə/ and a clearer non-rhotic final. AU: /ˈpɒstəˌɪə/ or /pəˈstɪəriə/ with more centralized vowels in some speakers and a simpler final syllable. Key differences: vowel quality in the first syllable, rhoticity on the final syllable, and the exact realization of /ɪə/ sequences. Use IPA references to align with your target audience; listen to native examples to calibrate your mouth positions.
The difficulty lies in the mid-stressed central vowel sequence /ˈstɪə/ and the transition from /st/ to a fronted vowel with a trailing /ər/ or /ɪə/ sequence. The combination of the /t/ and /ɪə/ glide requires precise tongue positioning: stop the /t/ cleanly, move to a high-front /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ glide, then a final rhotic-like or unstressed /ər/ depending on accent. Learners often default to /poʊˈstəːr/ or misplace the stress; focus on the diphthong quality and keep the mouth slightly open for the /ɪə/ transition.
A helpful tip is to anchor the word to a visual of anatomy: imagine saying po—STEE-ree-er, with the second syllable carrying the main beat and the third syllable trailing. Visualize the movement of air: the /p/ is a small burst, /oʊ/ slides into a tight /st/ cluster, then the stressed /ɪə/ glides into a lighter /ɹ/ or /ə/ depending on accent. Practicing with the rhythm of a medical term—short long short-short—helps you lock the pattern.
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US: emphasize rhotic ending in /ɚ/; keep /ɪə/ tense. UK: reduce rhotics, keep /ə/ in /ɪə/; avoid over-tucking the vowel. AU: variable rhoticity; most speakers show a mid-to-high back vowel in /ɒ/ or /ɒst/ sequences; final syllable often softer, with a light /ə/ or /ɪə/. IPA cues are essential: US /poʊˈstɪər.i.ɚ/, UK /pəˈstɪə.ɹə/ (or /pɒˈstɪə.ə/), AU /ˈpɒstəˌɪə/. Practice listening to native samples and mirror feedback to align with your region's norms.
Posterior comes from the Latin posterior, meaning ‘coming from behind,’ from the comparative form of postus ‘placed behind,’ which is fromLatin posterus. The root post- means 'after' or 'behind,' pointing to its spatial sense. The term migrated into medical and anatomical English during the Renaissance as scholars systematized body terminology. It retained a strong sense of location relative to another structure (e.g., posterior to the sternum, or dorsal in reference to the back). Over time, poster- became a standard Latin-based prefix in anatomical nomenclature. The first known uses appear in Latin anatomical treatises, evolving into English medical texts by the 18th and 19th centuries as modern anatomy codified spatial terms. In contemporary English, posterior sits alongside anterior, proximal, distal, and dorsal, often in formal, clinical writing and discourse. Its usage remains precise: it indicates a location that is behind or toward the rear part of a subject, particularly in anatomy and biology. The word’s form also supports adjectival and adverbial uses (posteriorly) in scholarly exposition.
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Words that rhyme with "Posterior"
-ter sounds
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