Postpositive

Postpositive refers to the position of an adjective that follows the noun it modifies. In English, adjectives typically precede nouns (a red apple), but some adjectives appear after the noun, especially in fixed phrases and formal terms. The postpositive placement is most common in titles and legal or institutional language, and in certain traditional or ceremonial expressions.

Common examples include attorney general, secretary general, body politic, heir apparent, president elect (often written president-elect), and court-martial. In many cases the second element forms part of a compound noun, and the whole unit functions as a single nominal item. The postpositive adjective can carry a largely classificatory or conventional meaning within the compound, rather than adding immediate descriptive detail.

Historically, English allowed more flexible noun–adjective order, and postpositive usage persists primarily in specialized, formal, or ceremonial contexts. The phenomenon also appears in other languages, notably those with postnominal adjectives, such as Romance languages, where adjectives frequently follow nouns.

Notes on style and analysis: The term postpositive is a grammatical designation describing this adjective position, not a requirement for all adjectives. When writing, postpositive phrases are often treated as fixed compounds, sometimes with hyphenation (e.g., president-elect) to signal their unit status. Postpositive adjectives contrast with the more common prepositive position and reflect historical, semantic, and stylistic factors that preserve certain legal, institutional, or traditional expressions in English.