antérieure

Antérieure is the feminine singular form of the French adjective antérieur, used to describe something that is located toward the front or that occurs earlier in time. The masculine form is antérieur, and both gender forms have corresponding plural forms: antérieurs (masculine) and antérieures (feminine). The term derives from Latin ante- meaning "before" and is part of the broader family of words that express priority in space or time.

In anatomy and biology, antérieur is commonly used to indicate a position or surface oriented toward the front of the body or of an organ. For example, one speaks of the face antérieure du sternum or the lobes antérieurs du cerveau. In botany and zoology, antérieur can describe structures directed toward the front, though more precise terminology is often preferred in scientific descriptions.

Beyond spatial meaning, antérieure also applies to temporal or sequential precedence. It can describe an earlier period, stage, or development, as in une époque antérieure ou une phase antérieure du processus. The adverb antérieurement is used to mean previously or beforehand.

Antérieure is closely related to postérieure (the opposite, meaning toward or occurring behind) and to the noun antériorité, which denotes precedence or prior occurrence in space or time. The term is widely used across disciplines, including medicine, biology, and everyday language, to convey frontward position or prior timing in a neutral, descriptive way.