¹posture

noun pos·ture \ˈpäs-chər\

: the way in which your body is positioned when you are sitting or standing

: the attitude a person or group has toward a subject

Full Definition of POSTURE

a : the position or bearing of the body whether characteristic or assumed for a special purpose <erect posture>

b : the pose of a model or artistic figure

: state or condition at a given time especially with respect to capability in particular circumstances <maintain a competitive posture in the market>

: a conscious mental or outward behavioral attitude

See posture defined for English-language learners

See posture defined for kids

Origin of POSTURE

Middle French, from Italian postura, from Latin positura, from positus, past participle of ponere to place — more at position

First Known Use: circa 1586

²posture

verb

pos·turedpos·tur·ing

Definition of POSTURE

transitive verb

: to cause to assume a given posture : pose

intransitive verb

: to assume a posture; especially : to strike a pose for effect

: to assume an artificial or pretended attitude : attitudinize

— pos·tur·er \-chər-ər\ noun

First Known Use of POSTURE

circa 1645

POSTURE Defined for Kids

posture

noun pos·ture \ˈpäs-chər\

Definition of POSTURE for Kids

: the way in which the body is positioned when sitting or standing : the general way of holding the body <an upright posture> <a humble posture>

Word Root of POSTURE

The Latin word ponere, meaning “to place” or “to put,” and its form positus give us the roots pon and pos. Words from the Latin ponere have something to do with putting. A position is the location or way in which something has been placed. To expose is to put out in the open. To postpone is to put off until a later time. Posture is the way a body has been placed.

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