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anterior

adjective
an·​te·​ri·​or | \ an-ˈtir-ē-ər How to pronounce anterior (audio) \

Definition of anterior

1a : 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
Other Words from anterior Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about anterior

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Other Words from anterior

anteriorly adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for anterior

Synonyms

fore, forward, front, frontal, frontward (or frontwards)

Antonyms

aft, after, hind, hinder, hindmost, posterior, rear, rearward

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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

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.

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

 The affidavits say that several of the man's physical attributes, including eye color, fingerprints, anterior teeth, ears and head shape, did not match Dillinger's. — Michelle Lou, CNN, "John Dillinger's relatives say the body in an Indiana cemetery may not be his," 1 Aug. 2019 The researchers found that those with NPD had less gray matter in parts of the brain connected with empathy such as the left anterior insula, but there’s no definitive evidence to this link as of yet. — Nina Bahadur, SELF, "9 Facts to Know About Narcissistic Personality Disorder Before Calling Someone a Narcissist," 8 Nov. 2018 Doctors found an 80% blockage in her left anterior descending artery, a major pipeline of blood to the heart, and immediately placed a stent. — Betsy Mckay, WSJ, "Heart Attack at 49—America’s Biggest Killer Makes a Deadly Comeback," 21 June 2019 The previous EKGs had measured electrical signals from Mika's heart, but missed what the surgery later revealed: A 98% blockage in her left anterior descending (LAD) artery. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Doctors Kept Calling It Stress. Then I Learned I Had a 98% Blockage in My Heart.," 7 Feb. 2019 This added resistance works her upper back, deltoids (especially the anterior deltoids, which are the top portion of the shoulders), and the stabilizing muscles along her spine, explains Mansour. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "The 2 Exercises You Need to Help You Master Jessica Biel's Challenging Pistol Squats," 19 Sep. 2018 These anterior muscles, including the quads and hips, are the primary movers while the muscles on the backside of your body isometrically contract to form a stable base. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "How Lucy Hale's Two-Part Lower-Body Move Can Strengthen Your Butt, Legs, and Core," 27 Apr. 2018 During a training session in preparation for the World Cup, Lanzini ruptured his anterior knee ligament, and is set for a long spell on the sidelines. — SI.com, "West Ham to Receive Financial Compensation From FIFA Following Injury to Manuel Lanzini," 10 June 2018 Traumatic shoulder dislocations are broadly classified into anterior ones and posterior ones. — SI.com, "Injury Analysis: Everything You Need to Know About Salah’s Suspected Shoulder Injury in 1 Minute," 27 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anterior.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of anterior

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for anterior

Latin, comparative of ante before — more at ante-

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More Definitions for anterior

anterior

adjective
How to pronounce anterior (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of anterior

technical : near or toward the front of something (such as the body)

See the full definition for anterior in the English Language Learners Dictionary

anterior

adjective
an·​te·​ri·​or | \ an-ˈtir-ē-ər How to pronounce anterior (audio) \

Medical Definition of anterior

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

Other Words from anterior

anteriorly adverb

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