Meanings
- not comparableAfter the fact; after the focus of an activity has already occurred.
It was not found necessary either in the formulation of the hypotheses or in the explanations offered post factum to appeal to any innate language-specific capacity.
2012, Anne E. Mills, The Acquisition of Gender: A Study of English and German, →ISBN, page 1431 more example
But if Mark recorded this prophecy post factum, he risked nothing and, as we have demonstrated above, he gained a great deal (Jesus is confirmed as a great prophet, God is understood as in control in the midst of crisis, encouragement is given to confused and frightened disciples, and the power of Rome is disarmed).
2008, Adam Winn, The Purpose of Mark's Gospel, →ISBN, page 67
- not comparableAfter the fact; occurring after the focus of an activity has already occurred.
Merton cautioned against confusing post factum sociological interpretations with social theory.
2010, John K. Rhoads, Critical Issues in Social Theory, →ISBN, page 341 more example
Parallel to this is an interest in the notion of post factum documentation, that is, when the 'designerly' drawings have supposedly stopped.
2014, Paul Rodgers, Joyce Yee, The Routledge Companion to Design Research, →ISBN, page 365
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
From Latin: "after the fact".
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
post factum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/post%20factum
“post factum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/post%20factum. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “post factum,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/post%20factum.
Source: post factum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.