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Posthumous vs Deceased - What's the difference?

posthumous | deceased |

As adjectives the difference between posthumous and deceased

is that posthumous is (originally) born after the death of one's father while deceased is no longer alive.

As a noun deceased is

a dead person.

posthumous

English

Alternative forms

* post-humous

Adjective

(-)
  • (originally) Born after the death of one's father.
    • ''Posthumous orphans never even knew their fathers.
  • After the death of someone
    • The posthumous was given to the family of the soldier who died in battle.
    Usage note: Posthumous awards are made when the intended recipient dies as a result of the action which merits the award. Even a short time lag between the action and the decision may cause the award to be conferred after death or there may be a longer delay such as when a review board decides to confer an award decades after a war has ended but such awards while they may be ''post mortem'' (literally, "after death") are not posthumous awards.
  • Taking place after one's own death
    • Artists obscure during their life often receive posthumous recognition, too late for them to enjoy.
  • In reference to a work, published after the author's death.
    • ''His memoirs were his posthumous revenge on enemies he dared not take on alive.

    Derived terms

    * posthumous execution * posthumously * posthumousness * posthumous work

    deceased

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • No longer alive
  • * That parrot is definitely deceased , and when I purchased it not ’alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein’ tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk. Monty Python
  • Belonging to the dead.
  • * The executor’s commission for winding up the deceased estate was 3.5%.
  • (legal): One who has died. In property law', the alternate term decedent is generally used. In ' criminal law , “the deceased” refers to the victim of a homicide.

    • Synonyms

    * (no longer alive) asleep, at peace, at rest, dead, departed, late, gone

    Usage notes

    * Not to be confused with diseased (affected with or suffering from disease)

    Noun

    (deceased)
  • A dead person
  • * The deceased was interred in his local churchyard.
  • (plural deceased ) dead people
  • * A memorial to the deceased of two World Wars.
  • (legal): One who has died. In property law', the alternate term decedent is generally used. In ' criminal law , “the deceased” refers to the victim of a homicide.

    • Synonyms

    * (dead person) dead person, dead soul, deceased person, decedent, departed, late * dead people, dead souls, deceased people, decedents, departed

    Usage notes

    Deceased'' is commonly used in legal and journalistic settings. ''Departed is most commonly used in religious settings.