ENGLISH
REFERENCE

postdoctoral

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˌpoʊstˈdɑkˌtɝəɫ// post·doc·tor·al

adj. relating to research or study that someone does after they have finished their PhD. It describes a specific stage in a person's university career.

adj. relating to research or academic work conducted after the completion of doctoral studies. Typically used attributively to modify nouns like 'research', 'fellowship', or 'position'.


SIMPLE

She is looking for a postdoctoral position in biology.

CONTEXTUAL

After finishing his PhD in history, he applied for several postdoctoral fellowships to continue his research on ancient trade routes.

COMPLEX

The university offers a competitive postdoctoral program designed to bridge the gap between doctoral graduation and a permanent faculty appointment through intensive independent research.

Origin

From post- + doctoral.

Usage

Typically placed before the noun it modifies; often shortened to 'postdoc' in informal academic speech.

© 2026 English Reference