anterior
/ænˈtɪərɪə(r)/adjective
1
- technical, chiefly Anatomy & Biology nearer the front, especially situated in the front of the body, or nearer to the head or forepart〈技〉【主剖, 主生】（尤指身体）前部的, 头部附近的; 靠前的：
the veins anterior to the heart.
心脏前部的血管。POSTERIOR的反义词。
1.1
- Botany (of a part of a flower or leaf) situated further away from the main stem【植】（花, 叶）前部（或端、面）的。
1.2
- Phonetics pronounced with an obstruction located in front of the palato-alveolar region of the mouth, e.g. b, p, d, t.【语音】前部音。
2
- formal coming before in time; earlier〈正式〉（时间上）先前的; 早先的：
an incident anterior to her troubles.
先于她的麻烦事发生的事件。
派生词
anteriority
nounanteriorly
adverb词源
mid 16th cent.: from French antérieur or Latin anterior, comparative of ante 'before'.