anterior

/ænˈtɪəriə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ænˈtɪriər/ (ame, ipa) · /an-ˈtir-ē-ər/ (ame, mw)

anterior — adjective

  • anteriorpositive
  • more anteriorcomparative
  • most anteriorsuperlative

1. describes the side or part of something that faces forward or is positioned near

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes the side or part of something that faces forward or is positioned nearer to the front than to the back — commonly used in anatomy, biology, and spatial descriptions of structures or objects.

例句

The surgeon made a careful cut in the anterior wall of the patient's abdomen.

anterior wall

Dr. Chen studied the images of the anterior lobe of the patient's brain.

anterior lobe

同義詞
  • front

    common, everyday word; less technical than 'anterior'

  • forward

    describes direction or position facing ahead

  • frontal

    specifically relating to the forehead or front part; common in anatomy

反義詞
  • posterior

    the direct opposite in anatomy and biology; means toward the back

  • rear

    informal term for the back part of an object or space

文法句型

anterior + noun

anterior to + noun phrase

用法筆記

Common in medical and anatomical descriptions. In human anatomy, 'anterior' means toward the front of the body (the belly side), while 'posterior' means toward the back. The word is also used for buildings, objects, and other structures to describe front-facing parts.

常見錯誤

❌The anterior part of the heart is at the back.
✅The anterior part of the heart is at the front, near the breastbone.
💡'anterior' means front, not back.
❌She felt pain in her anterior knee.
✅She felt pain in the anterior part of her knee.
💡'anterior' is rarely used alone without a noun; it typically modifies a body part.

2. relating to a time that comes earlier than a particular event, stage, or referen

2.形容詞C1
釋義

relating to a time that comes earlier than a particular event, stage, or reference point — used in formal, academic, or technical contexts to describe prior periods or preceding stages.

例句

Dr. Okonkwo's findings built upon the work of several anterior studies from the 1990s.

anterior studies

The archaeologists discovered traces of an anterior settlement buried beneath the Roman ruins.

anterior settlement

同義詞
  • earlier

    common, everyday word; suitable for most situations

  • previous

    standard word for 'coming before in order or time'; widely used

  • prior

    slightly more formal than 'previous'; common in legal and business contexts

  • preceding

    formal; often used in academic writing about sequences

反義詞
  • later

    everyday word; the general opposite of 'earlier'

  • subsequent

    formal; the opposite of 'anterior' in academic writing

文法句型

anterior + noun

anterior to + noun phrase

用法筆記

Used mainly in formal, academic, or legal writing. In everyday conversation, simpler alternatives like 'earlier', 'previous', or 'prior' sound more natural and are preferred. The predicative form 'anterior to' is common in technical documents.

常見錯誤

❌I read the anterior chapter last night.
✅I read the earlier chapter last night.
💡'anterior' sounds overly formal for casual reading; 'earlier' or 'previous' is more natural in everyday speech.
❌The anterior meeting was boring.
✅The previous meeting was boring.
💡'anterior' is too formal for simple conversation about meetings.