antedate

[ verb an-ti-deyt, an-ti-deyt; noun an-ti-deyt ]

/ verb ˈæn tɪˌdeɪt, ˌæn tɪˈdeɪt; noun ˈæn tɪˌdeɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR antedate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), an·te·dat·ed, an·te·dat·ing.

to be of older date than; precede in time: The Peruvian empire antedates the Mexican empire.

predate(def 1).

to assign to an earlier date: to antedate a historical event.

to cause to return to an earlier time: to antedate one's thoughts by remembering past events.

to cause to happen sooner; accelerate: The cold weather antedated their departure from the country.

Archaic. to take or have in advance; anticipate.

noun

a prior date.

Nearby words

Origin of antedate

1570–80; earlier antidate < Middle French antidater, derivative of antidate a date earlier than the true date (by association with anté- ante-), originally a date put in place of another date; see ante-, date¹

Can be confusedanecdote antedate antidoteantedate predate postdate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for antedate

Why then, Tim, the only safe way for these gamesome macquerellas is to antedate their conception before their separation.
A Select Collection of Old English Plays|Robert Dodsley
When these amphitheatres were erected we do not know, but probably they do not antedate by much the middle of the century.
Shakespearean Playhouses|Joseph Quincy Adams
Their veritable records represent this people as far back as the days of Abraham, and, indeed, they antedate that period.
Foot-prints of Travel|Maturin M. Ballou
This would make them antedate July, 1759, which is not true of the bakehouse.
Old Trails on the Niagara Frontier|Frank H. Severance

And when Phil and I came asking questions didn't you antedate his arrival about six hours?
Mavericks|William MacLeod Raine

British Dictionary definitions for antedate

antedate

verb (ˈæntɪˌdeɪt, ˌæntɪˈdeɪt) (tr)

to be or occur at an earlier date than

to affix a date to (a document, etc) that is earlier than the actual date

to assign a date to (an event, etc) that is earlier than its previously assigned date

to cause to occur sooner

noun (ˈæntɪˌdeɪt)

an earlier date

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for antedate

antedate

1580s, earlier as noun meaning "a backdating, false early date attached to a document or event" (1570s); from Latin ante "before" (see ante) + date (v.1). Related: Antedated; antedating.

antedate

verb (used with object), an·te·dat·ed, an·te·dat·ing.

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of antedate

Examples from the Web for antedate

antedate

verb (ˈæntɪˌdeɪt, ˌæntɪˈdeɪt) (tr)

noun (ˈæntɪˌdeɪt)

antedate