anterior

American  

[an-teer-ee-er] / ænˈtɪər i ər /

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.

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anterior British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• anteriority noun
• anteriorly adverb
• nonanterior adjective

Etymology

Origin of anterior

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