adj.
- chiefly Anatomy & Biology nearer the front, especially in the front of the body or nearer to the head. The opposite of posterior.
▸Botany situated further away from the main stem.
-
(anterior to)
formal prior to.
- Phonetics pronounced with an obstruction located in front of the palato-alveolar region of the mouth, e.g. b, p, d, t.
Derivative
- anteriority n.
- anteriorly adv.
Etymology
C16: from Fr. antérieur or L. anterior, compar. of ante ‘before’.