post-mortem

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

At Cambridge, the second examination which men who have been "plucked" have to undergo.—University.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “post-mortem” mean?

At Cambridge, the second examination which men who have been "plucked" have to undergo.—University.

Is “post-mortem” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.