What does postdated mean?
Postdated means dated after a particular event, date, or expected time. The word is especially common in financial and administrative contexts: a postdated cheque is issued now but carries a date on which it may be paid, while a postdated letter is intended to have a later date than the day it was written. In another sense, postdated can describe something issued with a future date, even if the date is intended to make the document appear to have been written later. The term is useful because it distinguishes a future date from a past one; its opposite, backdated, refers to a document assigned an earlier date. Postdated is generally neutral and precise, though its frequent use with cheques and official documents can suggest a postponement or administrative arrangement.
adjectiveDated after the date of the event or occurrence being referred to, especially a document, cheque, or communication. It may also mean carrying a date later than the actual date.
- Dated after the occurrence or event to which it refers.
- Issued with a date later than the date on which it was actually written or issued.
"The postdated cheque was not processed until the following month."
"She wrote a postdated birthday card so it would arrive on the right day."
"The bank may hold a postdated cheque until the date printed on it."
A postdated cheque is a promise written on paper: it says you will pay on a future date.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does postdated come from?
The word is formed from the combining form post-, meaning 'after', and date. The same Latin prefix appears in words such as postwar and postoperative, while date comes through French from the Latin datum, meaning 'given' or 'a day assigned'. Postdated developed as an adjective meaning bearing a date later than the event or issue to which it refers.
Related word forms
How postdated is actually used
The term is especially common in business and administrative contexts, particularly with cheques, letters, and documents. It is distinct from 'backdated', which means dated earlier than the actual date of issue.
Easily confused with postdated
A postdated document bears a date later than the date on which it was issued, whereas a backdated document bears an earlier date than its actual issue date.