An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/ant-

by Friedrich Kluge

ant-, prefix, preserved in Modern High German only in Ant-litz and Ant-wort (see also Amt, anheischig, and Handwerk). It is found in the early periods in many noun compounds, to which Modern High German ent-; is the corresponding prefix of verbal compounds. Compare Middle High German and Old High German ant-, Gothic anda-, Anglo-Saxon and-, ond- (compare English answer under Antwort); also the Gothic prep, and, ‘on, upon, in, along.’ The originally meaning of the prefix is ‘counter,’ which makes it cognate with Greek ἀντί ‘against,’ Latin ante, ‘before,’ Sanscrit ánti, ‘opposite.’