antérieur

Forms

antérieur (feminine antérieure, masculine plural antérieurs, feminine plural antérieures)^[1] First recorded in 1488 in the Latin form anterior;^[2][3] antérieur appears in 1503.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin anterior (“that is in front”),^[4][5][6] formed on ante (“before, in front of”).^[4][2] The Latin word was used in Church Latin in place of classical Latin prior, as the opposite of posterior.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1488, in the Mer des histoires, in the spatial and logical sense of being in front.^[6][4]

Semantic evolution

The temporal sense “earlier” came a little later, in 1531 by the DHLF's dating; the Petit Robert dates it to 1690.^[4][3] Grammar took it up for tenses: the futur antérieur is recorded in 1787.^[4]

The spatial sense gave scientific uses: in anatomy (1751), whence un antérieur for a front muscle (1805) and for a horse's foreleg, and in phonetics, where a voyelle antérieure is articulated at the front of the palate (1902, Rousselot).^[4][7] The adverb antérieurement (1611) is used mostly of time.^[4]

Timeline

• 1488 – Anterior appears in the Mer des histoires.^[6][4]
• 1503 – The French form antérieur is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1531 – First use in the temporal sense.^[4]
• 1751 – Used in anatomy.^[4]
• 1787 – Futur antérieur is recorded.^[4]
• 1902 – Rousselot speaks of voyelles antérieures.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Placed in front, at the front, as opposed to postérieur: la face antérieure d'un mur.^[3][6]
2. (phonetics) Of a vowel, front, articulated against the hard palate.^[3][4]
3. Previous, coming earlier in time: une existence antérieure.^[3][6]
4. (grammar) Marking an action completed before another: passé antérieur, futur antérieur.^[3][6]

Noun

1. A front leg of a horse or other animal.^[7][3]

Word family

• antérieurement

Related words

• antériorité
• postérieur
• antique
• Latin ante

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)