adjective
- situated before or at the front of; fore (opposed to posterior).
- going before in time or sequence; preceding; earlier: events anterior to the outbreak of war.
- Linguistics. (in distinctive feature analysis) articulated in the region extending from the alveolar ridge to the lips; alveolar, dental, or labial.
- (in animals and embryos) pertaining to or toward the head or forward end of the body.
- (in humans) pertaining to or toward the front plane of the body, equivalent to the ventral surface of quadrupeds.
- Botany. on the front side and away from the main axis, as the lower lip of a flower.
adjective
- situated at or towards the front
- earlier in time
- zoology of or near the head end
- botany (of part of a flower or leaf) situated farthest away from the main stem
1610s, Latin, literally “former,” comparative of ante “before” (see ante). Related: Anteriority.
adj.
- Placed before or in front.
- Occurring before in time; earlier.
- Of or relating to the front surface of the body, especially of the position of one structure relative to another; ventral.
- Near the head or rostral end of certain embryos.
n.
- The front surface of the body.