terminus ante quem

English

Etymology

From the Latin terminus (“boundary, limit”) and ante (“before”) and quem (“which”), the accusative of quī (“what”). Literally meaning "the limit before which".

Noun

terminus ante quem

1. The date before which an event in the past must have occurred: the date before which a document must have been written, the date before which an archaeological artifact must have been deposited, and so on.

   Antonyms: terminus post quem, terminus a quo

   Hypernym: terminus

   Coordinate term: terminus ad quem

See also

• no later than