located in front; situated before or at the front of; fore (opposed to posterior); going before in time or sequence; preceding; earlier: events anterior to the outbreak of war

Not to be confused with:

exterior – external, outer; originating or acting from the outside; being on the outer side: the exterior surface; suitable for outdoor use: exterior paint; outward form or appearance: She has a calm exterior, but inside she is frightened.

interior – located inside: The interior of the building is well lit.; inner: She looks fragile but she has an inner strength.

an·te·ri·or

(ăn-tîr′ē-ər)

adj.

1. Placed before or in front.

2. Occurring before in time; earlier.

3. Anatomy

a. Located near or toward the head in lower animals.

b. Located on or near the front of the body in higher animals.

c. Located on or near the front of an organ or on the ventral surface of the body in humans.

4. Botany In front of and facing away from the axis or stem.

[Latin, comparative of ante, before; see ant- in Indo-European roots.]

an·te′ri·or′i·ty (-ôr′ĭ-tē, -ŏr′-) n.

an·te′ri·or·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

(ænˈtɪərɪə)

adj

1. situated at or towards the front

2. earlier in time

3. (Zoology) zoology of or near the head end

4. (Botany) botany (of part of a flower or leaf) situated farthest away from the main stem

[C17: from Latin, comparative of ante before]

anteriority n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

an•te•ri•or

(ænˈtɪər i ər)

adj.

1. situated before or at the front of; fore (opposed to posterior).

a. (in animals and embryos) pertaining to or toward the head or forward end of the body.

b. (in humans and other primates) pertaining to or toward the front plane of the body, equivalent to the ventral surface of quadrupeds.

3. preceding in time or sequence; earlier.

[1535–45; < Latin, comp. of ante before, after posterior]

an•te`ri•or′i•ty (-ˈɔr ɪ ti, -ˈɒr-) n.

an•te′ri•or•ly, adv.

1. In front of; ventral.

2. Toward or at the front.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	anterior - a tooth situated at the front of the mouth; "his malocclusion was caused by malposed anteriors" front tooth tooth - hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attack and defense bucktooth - a large projecting front tooth
Adj.	1.	anterior - of or near the head end or toward the front plane of a body front - relating to or located in the front; "the front lines"; "the front porch" posterior - located at or near or behind a part or near the end of a structure
	2.	anterior - earlier in time prior antecedent - preceding in time or order

adjective

1. front, forward, fore, frontward the left anterior descending artery

2. earlier, former, previous, prior, preceding, introductory, foregoing, antecedent memories of our anterior existences

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

adjective

1. Going before:

advance, antecedent, earlier, precedent, preceding, previous, prior.

2. Just gone by or elapsed:

antecedent, earlier, foregoing, former, past, precedent, preceding, previous, prior.

Translations

antérieur précédent

anteriore

[ænˈtɪərɪəʳ] ADJ → anterior (to a)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

[ænˈtɪərɪə^r] adj → antérieur(e)

adj

(= prior) → früher (to als); to be anterior to → vorangehen (+dat), → vorausgehen (+dat)

(Anat etc) → vordere(r, s); anterior brain → Vorderhirn nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

[ænˈtɪərɪəʳ] adj (frm) (position) → anteriore; (time) → precedente

an·te·ri·or

a. anterior, precedente; [body position] anterior o ventral; [time] previo-a.

adj anterior