Prior vs Posterior - What's the difference?
prior | posterior |
Of that which comes before, in advance.
former, previous
A high-ranking member of a monastery, usually lower in rank than an abbot.
* 1939 , (Raymond Chandler), The Big Sleep , Penguin 2011, p. 53:
(statistics) In Bayesian inference, a prior probability distribution.
Located behind, or towards the rear of an object.
Following in order or in time.
(anatomy) Nearer the back end; nearer the caudal end of the body in quadrupeds or the dorsal end in bipeds.
(botany) Next to, or facing the main stem or axis.
As adjectives the difference between prior and posterior
is that prior is of that which comes before, in advance while posterior is located behind, or towards the rear of an object.As nouns the difference between prior and posterior
is that prior is a high-ranking member of a monastery, usually lower in rank than an abbot while posterior is the buttocks.As an adverb prior
is previously.prior
English
Adjective
(-)- I had no prior knowledge you were coming.
- His prior residence was smaller than his current one.
Usage notes
The etymological antonym is (m) (from Latin) (compare (m)/(m) for “first/last”). This is now no longer used, however, and there is no corresponding antonym. Typically either (m) or (m) are used, but these form different pairs – (m)/(m) and (m)/(m) – and are more formal than prior . When an opposing pair is needed, these can be used, or other pairs such as (m)/(m) or (m)/(m).Synonyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* prior toNoun
(wikipedia prior) (en noun)- ‘And a little later we get the routine report on his prints from Washington, and he's got a prior back in Indiana, attempted hold-up six years ago.’