An*te"ri*or (#), a. [L. anterior, comp. of ante before.]
1.
Before in time; antecedent.
Antigonus, who was anterior to Polybius.
Sir G. C. Lewis.
2.
Before, or toward the front, in place; as, the anterior part of the mouth; -- opposed to posterior.
⇒ In comparative anatomy, anterior often signifies at or toward the head, cephalic; and in human anatomy it is often used for ventral.
Syn. -- Antecedent; previous; precedent; preceding; former; foregoing.
© Webster 1913.