Ahead

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /əˈhɛd/

Definitions

1. Located or positioned in front or at a more advanced point in space, time, or progress
2. Situated in a forward location or at a more advanced stage, either in terms of spatial position, chronological progression, or development
3. Positioned in advance, whether in terms of space, time, or an ongoing process

Etymology: "Ahead" is built from the prefix "a-" and the noun "head," so its literal sense is something like "at the head" or "in the head position." The "a-" here is the same unstressed prefix found in words like "aside" and "along," which attaches to a noun to form a locative phrase meaning "on" or "in" that thing. The most likely starting point is the sea. The idea is that a ship's head, its forward end, is the direction it is moving toward, so being "ahead" was originally a nautical way of describing a position beyond the bow. From there the word spread into everyday English, where it came to mean simply being in front of something, whether that is a place, a rival, or a moment in time. The leap from a ship's prow to a general sense of advantage, progress, or the future is why the word now covers space, time, and process alike.

Synonyms: forward, in front, in advance

Antonyms: behind, backward