antemão

Antemão is a Portuguese adverb that conveys the idea of doing something beforehand, in advance, or prior to a given event. In everyday usage, the meaning most often appears in the common expression de antemão, which means “in advance” or “preliminarily.”

The word is attested in Brazilian Portuguese and appears more frequently in formal or literary registers. As a standalone noun or adverb, ant emão is relatively rare in contemporary language and is often treated as a historical or variant form of the expression de antemão. Etymologically, it is linked to the combination of ante- meaning before and mão (hand), reflecting the sense of acting before what is in hand.

Usage and style notes:

- The preferred, widely used form in modern writing is the two-word expression de antemão.

- When ant emão appears, it is usually in older texts or dictionaries and may be considered archaic or regional.

- Synonyms include antecipadamente, previamente, and de forma prévia.

Examples:

- Agradeço de antemão pela atenção e pela colaboração.

- O relatório foi preparado de antemão, com os dados já consolidados.

See also:

- Antecipação

- Antecedência

- Previamente

Antemão thus functions mainly as a historical or variant root for the contemporary kli phrase de antemão, preserving the same core sense of prior action or consideration.