Proto-Indo-European root meaning "front, forehead," with derivatives meaning "in front of, before; end." Also see *ambhi-.

It forms all or part of: advance; advantage; along; ancestor; ancient (adj.); answer; Antaeus; ante; ante-; ante meridiem; antecede; antecedent; antedate; antediluvian; ante-partum; antepenultimate; anterior; anti-; antic; anticipate; anticipation; antique; antler; avant-garde; elope; end; rampart; un- (2) prefix of reversal; until; vambrace; vamp (n.1) "upper of a shoe or boot;" vanguard.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit antah "end, border, boundary;" Hittite hanti "opposite;" Greek anta, anten "opposite," anti "over against, opposite, before;" Latin ante (prep., adv.) "before (in place or time), in front of, against;" Old Lithuanian anta "on to;" Gothic anda "along;" Old English and- "against;" German ent- "along, against."

also antebellum, from Latin phrase ante bellum, literally "before the war;" see ante- + bellicose. In U.S., usually in reference to the American Civil War (1861-65); attested in that specific sense by 1862 (it appears in a June 14 entry in Mary Chesnut's diary).

"chamber which gives access to a principal chamber; waiting room," 1650s, antichamber, from French antichambre (16c.), on analogy of Italian anticamera (see ante- and chamber (n.)). English spelling Latinized to ante- in 18c.

"occurring before death," 1827; see ante- + mortal (adj.).

"existing or happening before the creation of the world," 1731; see ante- + mundane.

"before birth," 1798; see ante- "before" + natal "pertaining to birth." Ante-nati was an old term for (in Scotland) those born before the accession of James I to the English throne, also used in U.S. in reference to those born in the colonies before the Declaration of Independence.

"prior to marriage," 1757, originally in reference to children's births, from Late Latin antenuptialis; see ante- + nuptial.

also anteroom, "small room giving access to a larger," especially a waiting room for visitors, 1762, literally "a room in front;" after French antichambre, Italian anticamera, from Latin ante "before" (see ante-) + camera "vaulted room" (see chamber (n.)).

"small portions served from a shared platter as the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal," 1929, from Italian antipasto, from anti- "before" (from Latin ante; see ante-) + pasto "food," from Latin pascere "to feed," from PIE root *pa- "to feed." Earlier Englished as antepast "something taken before a meal to whet the appetite" (1580s).