posture

Posture is the position of a body while standing or sitting.

(noun)

An example of posture is standing straight.

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See posture in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. the position or carriage of the body in standing or sitting; bearing
  2. such a position assumed as in posing for an artist
  3. the way things stand; condition with respect to circumstances: the delicate posture of foreign affairs
    1. an attitude of mind; frame of mind
    2. an attitude assumed merely for effect
  4. an official stand or position, as that taken by a nation on a major issue

Origin: MFr < It postura < L positura, a position < ponere, to place: see position

transitive verb postured, posturing

to place in a particular posture; pose

intransitive verb

to assume a bodily or mental posture; esp., to assume an attitude merely for effect; pose

Related Forms:

See posture in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. a. A position of the body or of body parts: a sitting posture.
    b. An attitude; a pose: assumed a posture of angry defiance.
  2. A characteristic way of bearing one's body; carriage: stood with good posture.
  3. Relative placement or arrangement: the posture of the buildings on the land.
  4. A stance or disposition with regard to something: “Those bases are essential to our military posture in the Middle East” (Gerard Smith).
  5. A frame of mind affecting one's thoughts or behavior; an overall attitude.
verb pos·tured, pos·tur·ing, pos·tures
verb, intransitive
  1. To assume an exaggerated or unnatural pose or mental attitude; attitudinize.
  2. To assume a pose.
verb, transitive
To put into a specific posture; pose.

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: , from Italian postura

Origin: , from Latin positūra, position

Origin: , from positus

Origin: , past participle of pōnere, to place; see apo- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • posˈtur·al adjective
  • posˈtur·er, posˈtur·ist noun

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