anterior

adjective

an·​te·​ri·​or an-ˈtir-ē-ər How to pronounce anterior (audio)
Synonyms of anteriornext
1
a
: situated before or toward the front
an anterior ligament
b
: situated near or toward the head or part most nearly corresponding to a head
2
: coming before in time or development
labor problems anterior to the strike
anteriorly adverb

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Anterior generally appears in either medical or scholarly contexts. Anatomy books refer to the anterior lobe of the brain, the anterior cerebral artery, the anterior facial vein, etc. Scholar and lawyers may use anterior to mean "earlier in time or order". For example, supporters of states' rights point out that the individual states enjoyed certain rights anterior to their joining the union. And prenuptial agreements are designed to protect the assets that one or both parties acquired anterior to the marriage.

Synonyms

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Choose the Right Synonym for anterior

preceding, antecedent, foregoing, previous, prior, former, anterior mean being before.

preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

Examples of anterior in a Sentence

the anterior part of the brain the anterior chamber of the eye is bounded in front by the cornea
Recent Examples on the Web To access a lesion in the patient’s hippocampus, a surgeon had removed the tissue from their left anterior temporal lobe, a part of the brain thought to play a role in our memory of objects, people, words and facts. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 May 2024 This includes the anterior chains at the front of the body and posterior chains at the back of the body. —Tiffany Ayuda, Health, 13 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anterior 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anterior.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, comparative of ante before — more at ante-

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of anterior was in 1541

Phrases Containing anterior

Dictionary Entries Near anterior

anteriad

anterior

anterior chamber

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Anterior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anterior. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

anterior

adjective
an·​te·​ri·​or an-ˈtir-ē-ər How to pronounce anterior (audio)
1
: placed or being before or toward the front
2
: coming before in time
anteriorly adverb

Medical Definition

anterior

adjective
an·​te·​ri·​or an-ˈtir-ē-ər How to pronounce anterior (audio)
1
: relating to or situated near or toward the head or toward the part in headless animals most nearly corresponding to the head
2
: situated toward the front of the body : ventral
—used in human anatomy because of the upright posture of humans
anteriorly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on anterior

Nglish: Translation of anterior for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of anterior for Arabic Speakers

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