The etymological antonym ofprior isulterior (from Latin), and the corresponding antonym toprior to isulterior to (compareprimate/ultimate for “first/last”). This is now no longer used, however, and there is no corresponding antonym to express “after”. Typically eithersubsequent(to) orposterior(to) are used, but these form different pairs –precedent/subsequent andanterior/posterior – and are more formal thanprior. For this reason some suggest against usingprior to, particularly when it is paired with an antonym, instead using the Germanicbefore/after.[1] The other aspect of this deprecation is simply avoiding the puffery of fancy words where plain ones would be better;[2] see alsofollowing § Usage notes.
^Garner,Modern American Usage: “As Theodore Bernstein once pointed out, one should feel free to useprior to instead ofbefore only if one is accustomed to usingposterior to forafter.
