anterior

[ an-teer-ee-er ]

adjective

1. situated before or at the front of; fore ( posterior ).
2. going before in time or sequence; preceding; earlier:

   events anterior to the outbreak of war.

3. Linguistics. (in distinctive feature analysis) articulated in the region extending from the alveolar ridge to the lips; alveolar, dental, or labial.
4. (in animals and embryos) pertaining to or toward the head or forward end of the body.
5. (in humans) pertaining to or toward the front plane of the body, equivalent to the ventral surface of quadrupeds.
6. Botany. on the front side and away from the main axis, as the lower lip of a flower.

anterior

/ ænˌtɪərɪˈɒrɪtɪ; ænˈtɪərɪə /

adjective

1. situated at or towards the front
2. earlier in time
3. zoology of or near the head end
4. botany (of part of a flower or leaf) situated farthest away from the main stem

Derived Forms

• anteriority, noun

Other Words From

• an·te·ri·or·i·ty [an-teer-ee-, awr, -i-tee, -, or, -], noun
• an·teri·or·ly adverb
• nonan·teri·or adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of anterior¹

1535–45; < Latin, comparative of ante before, formed on model of posterior

Word History and Origins

Origin of anterior¹

C17: from Latin, comparative of ante before

Example Sentences

That action puts a stress in the anterior cruciate ligament.

From The Daily Beast

That which is called nasality is caused by the failure of the tone to reach freely the anterior cavities of the nares.

From Project Gutenberg

Its anterior portion is slender and thread-like, while the posterior portion is thicker (Fig. 112).

From Project Gutenberg

Because the people of God view themselves as bound by anterior engagements of his Church.

From Project Gutenberg

This was the first settling of North America, and thirteen years anterior to the landing of the Pilgrims.

From Project Gutenberg

The projection of the anterior root of P4 seems to be correlated with the presence or absence of P3.

From Project Gutenberg