ante

n. (Poker Playing) Each player's stake, which is put into the pool before (ante) the game begins. [ 1913 Webster ]

A Latin preposition and prefix; akin to Gr. 'anti`, Skr. anti, Goth. and-, anda- (only in comp.), AS. and-, ond-, (only in comp.: cf. Answer, Along), G. ant-, ent- (in comp.). The Latin ante is generally used in the sense of before, in regard to position, order, or time, and the Gr. 'anti` in that of opposite, or in the place of. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A preceding act. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ antea, ante, before. Cf. Ancient. ] Being before, or in front. [ R. ] J. Fleming. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. belonging to a period before a war, especially the American Civil War. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ See Antecede. ] Antecedent; preceding in time. “Capable of antecedaneous proof.” Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ L. antecedere; ante + cedere to go. See Cede. ] To go before in time or place; to precede; to surpass. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act or state of going before in time; precedence. H. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Astron.) An apparent motion of a planet toward the west; retrogradation. [ 1913 Webster ]