Ante Means Before, Which Is Why You Pay It First
An ante is a stake put in before a hand of cards begins. The Latin word simply means before.
An ante is a stake each player must put into the pot before a hand of cards is dealt. Latin *ante* means before, which explains the timing exactly: the ante is paid in advance of any cards being seen, ensuring there is something worth playing for. *Up the ante* means to increase what is at risk, and the same prefix gives *anteroom*, a room before another, *antecedent*, going before, and *antenatal*, before birth. It is not the same as *anti-*, meaning against.
- A pre-deal stake. *Put in the ante.*
- Up the ante — raise the stakes. *Up the ante.*
- Anteroom — a room before. *An anteroom.*
- Anti- — against, a different prefix. *Anti-.*
- Latin — *ante*, before. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | ante | The ante. |
| Verb | ante | Ante up. |
| Prefix | ante- | Antenatal. |
| Related | antecedent | Antecedent. |
| Latin | ante | Before. |
- Each player posts an ante.Cards.
- The offer upped the ante.Idiom.
- Ante means before.Latin.
Ante- and anti- compared
- Ante- — before: antenatal, antecedent, antechamber
- Anti- — against: antifreeze, antibiotic, antisocial
- Antebellum — before the war, not against it
- Anticipate — to take before, from ante-
- The two prefixes are unrelated despite the similar look
Latin *ante*, before or in front of, related to Greek *anti*, opposite.
What is the difference between ante- and anti-?
Ante- means before, as in antenatal. Anti- means against, as in antifreeze. They are separate prefixes.
Why is the poker stake called an ante?
Because it is paid before any cards are dealt, and ante is Latin for before.