terminus ante quem

English - English

Definition of terminus ante quem in English English dictionary

the date before which a document must have been written

the date before which an archaeological artifact must have been deposited

The latest possible date for something

Terminus post quem ("limit after which", often abbreviated to TPQ) and terminus ante quem ("limit before which") specify approximate dates for events. A terminus post quem is the earliest time the event may have happened, and a terminus ante quem is the latest

Hyphenation

ter·mi·nus an·te quem

Etymology

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