Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

A Latin preposition and prefix; akin to Greek 'anti`, Sanskrit anti, Gothic and-, anda- (only in comp.), Anglo-Saxon and-, ond-, (only in comp.: compare Answer, Along), G. ant-, ent- (in comp.). The Latin ante is generally used in the sense of before, in regard to position, order, or time, and the Greek 'anti` in that of opposite, or in the place of.

(Poker Playing) Each player's stake, which is put into the pool before (ante) the game begins.

To put up (an ante).