anterior
adjective
an·te·ri·or an-ˈtir-ē-ər 
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
Did you know?
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
- fore
- forward
- front
- frontal
- frontward
- frontwards
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the anterior part of the brain the anterior chamber of the eye is bounded in front by the cornea
Recent Examples on the Web That included Bueckers, who missed 19 games with an anterior tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear in the same knee. 
Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 2 Sep. 2022 Winston tore anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and the meniscus of his left knee in the seventh game of the 2021 NFL season and missed the rest of the Saints’ schedule. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 9 Aug. 2022 The 5-foot-11 guard missed 19 games last season after suffering an anterior tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear in the same left knee. Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2022 My anterior tibialis muscle in my ankle was spasming from wiggling my ski tip. Frederick Reimers, Outside Online, 14 Apr. 2020 Joe Burrow's left knee has been a point of concern after the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in 2020. Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 27 July 2022 While seated, rotate slightly to one side to open up the anterior aspect of the chest. Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 14 July 2022 The hoods have an opening at the anterior end, and there's a layer of water between the surface of the hoods' interior and the shrimp eyes. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 12 July 2022 And don’t forget all the museums that my right superior anterior temporal lobe feels guilty about never going to. Teddy Wayne, The New Yorker, 12 July 2022 See More
Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 2 Sep. 2022 Winston tore anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and the meniscus of his left knee in the seventh game of the 2021 NFL season and missed the rest of the Saints’ schedule. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 9 Aug. 2022 The 5-foot-11 guard missed 19 games last season after suffering an anterior tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear in the same left knee. Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2022 My anterior tibialis muscle in my ankle was spasming from wiggling my ski tip. Frederick Reimers, Outside Online, 14 Apr. 2020 Joe Burrow's left knee has been a point of concern after the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in 2020. Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 27 July 2022 While seated, rotate slightly to one side to open up the anterior aspect of the chest. Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 14 July 2022 The hoods have an opening at the anterior end, and there's a layer of water between the surface of the hoods' interior and the shrimp eyes. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 12 July 2022 And don’t forget all the museums that my right superior anterior temporal lobe feels guilty about never going to. Teddy Wayne, The New Yorker, 12 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin, comparative of ante before — more at ante-
First Known Use
1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing anterior
Medical Definition
anterior
adjective
an·te·ri·or an-ˈtir-ē-ər
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
as in earlier
so as to precede something in order of time archaeological artifacts are all that we have of those ancient people who flourished anteriorly of the invention of writing Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- earlier
- ahead
- before
- early
- in advance
- previously
- already
- prematurely
- beforehand
- formerly
- shortly
- now
- antecedently
- preliminarily
- afore
- first off
- a priori
- soon
- first
- before long
- erelong
- presently
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- afterwards
- later
- afterward
- subsequently
- behind
- after
- next
- by and by