汉：来源于拉丁语，意“before",在元音字母和辅音字母h前，字母E脱落，变为ant,ante-的变化型有：ant-,anti- ,anci-,an-；与post-相反。ante-本是原生前缀，只与拉丁词根结合。但16世纪以后，它又在英语中复活，成了派生词缀。它能与名词结合，起修辞作用，并能生成名词派生词。

英：word-forming element meaning "before, in front of; previous, existing beforehand; introductory to," from Latin ante (prep. and adv.) "before, in front of, opposite," used in combinations, from PIE *anti "facing opposite, near, in front of, before" (see ante). 1.antebellum
adj.before the war ,before the American Civil War战前的；美国南北战争的 *ante(=before),bell(=war)
例句：Most of these houses can be classified as antebellum in design.在设计上，这些房子大部分属于战前的风格。

2.antecedent
adj.previous 先前的，以前的
n.preceeding event or circumstance;ancestors;noun,clause or sentence,to which a following pronoun or adverb refers 先例，前事；(pl.)祖先；先行词 *ante(=before),ced(=go)
例句：Little did he know that among his antecedents was the famous American Indian,chief Sitting Bull.他几乎不知道，著名的美国印第安人西丁.布尔酋长是他的祖先之一。

3.antique
n.material of a past period 古董
adj.belonging to the distant past,existing since old times,in the stlye of past times 古代的，古时的，旧式的 *ant 例句：Beware of shops that advertise " antique" furniture.Most of them sell only replications.小心那些自称是“古董”家具的家具店，他们大部分卖的只是仿制品。

4.ancient
n.老人；古人
adj.古代的

5.ancestor
n.forefather 祖先 （走在前面的人）
an-=ante-(before) + ces(to go) + tor (表示人的字尾)