An"te*date` (&?;), n. 1. Prior date; a date antecedent to another which is the actual date.

2. Anticipation. [Obs.] Donne.

An"te*date` (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Antedated; p. pr. & vb. n. Antedating.] 1. To date before the true time; to assign to an earlier date; thus, to antedate a deed or a bond is to give it a date anterior to the true time of its execution.

2. To precede in time.

3. To anticipate; to make before the true time.

And antedate the bliss above.
Pope.

Who rather rose the day to antedate.
Wordsworth.

• To occur before an event or time; to exist further back in time
  
• To assign a date to a document or action earlier than the actual date; to backdate