postern

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: pos=tern

CIDE DICTIONARY

postern, n. [OF. posterne, posterle, F. poterne, fr. L. posterula, fr. posterus coming after. See Posterior.].

•  Originally, a back door or gate; a private entrance; hence, any small door or gate.  [1913 Webster]

  "He by a privy postern took his flight."  [1913 Webster]

  "Out at the postern, by the abbey wall."  [1913 Webster]
•  A subterraneous passage communicating between the parade and the main ditch, or between the ditches and the interior of the outworks.  Mahan.  [1913 Webster]

postern, a. 

 Back; being behind; private.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

postern, n.
1 a back door.
2 a side way or entrance.

Etymology

ME f. OF posterne, posterle, f. LL posterula dimin. of posterus: see POSTERIOR

THESAURUS

postern

French door, aft, after, aftermost, afterpart, afterpiece, archway, back, back door, back seat, back side, backward, barway, behind, breech, bulkhead, carriage entrance, cellar door, cellarway, door, doorjamb, doorpost, doorway, front door, gate, gatepost, gateway, hatch, hatchway, heel, hind, hind end, hind part, hinder, hindermost, hindhand, hindhead, hindmost, lintel, occiput, porch, portal, porte cochere, posterior, propylaeum, pylon, rear, rear end, rearmost, rearward, retrograde, reverse, scuttle, side door, stern, stile, storm door, tail, tail end, tailpiece, threshold, tollgate, trap, trap door, turnpike, turnstile

ROGET THESAURUS

postern

Beginning

N beginning, commencement, opening, outset, incipience, inception, inchoation, introduction, alpha, initial, inauguration, debut, le premier pas, embarcation, rising of the curtain, maiden speech, outbreak, onset, brunt, initiative, move, first move, narrow end of the wedge, thin end of the wedge, fresh start, new departure, origin, source, rise, bud, germ, egg, rudiment, genesis, primogenesis, birth, nativity, cradle, infancy, start, inception, creation, starting point, dawn, evolution, title-page, head, heading, van, caption, fatihah, entrance, entry, inlet, orifice, mouth, chops, lips, porch, portal, portico, propylon, door, gate, gateway, postern, wicket, threshold, vestibule, propylaeum, skirts, border, first stage, first blush, first glance, first impression, first sight, rudiments, elements, outlines, grammar, alphabet, ABC, beginning, initial, initiatory, initiative, inceptive, introductory, incipient, proemial, inaugural, inchoate, inchoative, embryonic, rudimental, primogenial, primeval, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, natal, nascent, first, foremost, leading, maiden, begun, just begun, at the beginning, in the beginning first, in the first place, imprimis, first and foremost, in limine, in the bud, in embryo, in its infancy, from the beginning, from its birth, ab initio, ab ovo, ab incunabilis, ab origine, let's get going!, let's get this show on the road!, up and at 'em!, aller Anfang ist schwer, dimidium facti qui coepit habet, omnium rerum principia parva sunt.

Rear

N rear, back, posteriority, rear rank, rear guard, background, hinterland, occiput, nape, chine, heels, tail, rump, croup, buttock, posteriors, backside scut, breech, dorsum, loin, dorsal region, lumbar region, hind quarters, aitchbone, natch, natch bone, stern, poop, afterpart, heelpiece, crupper, wake, train, reverse, other side of the shield, back, rear, hind, hinder, hindmost, hindermost, postern, posterior, dorsal, after, caudal, lumbar, mizzen, tergal, behind, in the rear, in the background, behind one's back, at the heels of, at the tail of, at the back of, back to back, after, aft, abaft, astern, sternmost, aback, rearward, ogni medaglia ha il suo rovescio, the other side of the coin.

Opening

N opening, hole, foramen, puncture, perforation, fontanel, transforation, pinhole, keyhole, loophole, porthole, peephole, mousehole, pigeonhole, eye of a needle, eyelet, slot, opening, aperture, apertness, hiation, yawning, oscitancy, dehiscence, patefaction, pandiculation, chasm, embrasure, window, casement, abatjour, light, sky light, fan light, lattice, bay window, bow window, oriel, dormer, lantern, outlet, inlet, vent, vomitory, embouchure, orifice, mouth, sucker, muzzle, throat, gullet, weasand, wizen, nozzle, placket, portal, porch, gate, ostiary, postern, wicket, trapdoor, hatch, door, arcade, cellarway, driveway, gateway, doorway, hatchway, gangway, lich gate, way, path, thoroughfare, channel, passage, passageway, tube, pipe, water pipe, air pipe, vessel, tubule, canal, gut, fistula, adjutage, ajutage, ostium, smokestack, chimney, flue, tap, funnel, gully, tunnel, main, mine, pit, adit, shaft, gallery, alley, aisle, glade, vista, bore, caliber, pore, blind orifice, fulgurite, thundertube, porousness, porosity, sieve, cullender, colander, cribble, riddle, screen, honeycomb, apertion, perforation, piercing, terebration, empalement, pertusion, puncture, acupuncture, penetration, key, opener, master key, password, combination, passe- partout, open, perforated, perforate, wide open, ajar, unclosed, unstopped, oscitant, gaping, yawning, patent, tubular, cannular, fistulous, pervious, permeable, foraminous, vesicular, vasicular, porous, follicular, cribriform, honeycombed, infundibular, riddled, tubulous, tubulated, piped, tubate, opening, aperient, Int, open sesame!.