postern

UK: /ˈpɒstən/ US: (pō′stərn, pos′tərn)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pos•tern  (pō′stərn, pos′tərn), n. 

1. a back door or gate.
2. a private entrance or any entrance other than the main one.

adj. 

3. of, pertaining to, or resembling a postern.

• Late Latin posterula, diminutive of postera back door, noun, nominal use of feminine of posterus coming behind. See posterior, -ule
• Old French, variant of posterle
• Middle English posterne 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

postern / ˈpɒstən/ noun

1. a back door or gate, esp one that is for private use

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French posterne, from Late Latin posterula (jānua) a back (entrance), from posterus coming behind; see posterior, posterity