ABSTRACT
LL posterula, a back gate or door, at first a dim of LL postera, a back gate or door, 7 orig elliptical for postera ianua, from posterus: whence OF-early MF posterle, whence OF-MF posterrre (F poterne): whence E postern;
praeposterus, having the sense before-behind or, as we'd say, back to front or the cart before the horse: whence E preposterous.
