antedates
|an-ti-date|
/ˈæn.tɪ.deɪt/
(antedate)
before in time
Etymology
'antedate' originates from Latin elements: the prefix 'ante-' meaning 'before' combined with English 'date' (from Latin 'datum').
'antedate' was formed in English by combining Latin 'ante-' with the noun 'date' (from Latin 'datum'); similar constructs appeared in Late Latin and then in Early Modern English as 'antedate'.
Initially it combined the sense 'before' + 'date' to indicate an earlier date; over time it has retained that core sense and also gained the related sense 'to precede in time'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a date assigned to something that is earlier than the actual date; an earlier date or precedence. (This is the plural form of the noun 'antedate'.)
The document's antedates caused confusion during the audit.
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Antonyms
Verb 1
to assign to (a document, event, etc.) a date earlier than the actual date; to backdate deliberately (transitive).
He antedates the contract to avoid paying taxes.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/21 16:52