innanzi

before

preposition een-NAHN-tsee Less Common

Origin: from Latin 'in ante', in front

Also means

ahead

Usage Note

Innanzi is a rather formal or literary word for 'before' or 'in front of', commoner in legal and written Italian than the everyday davanti or prima. The set phrase d'ora innanzi means 'from now on'. Note the double 'n' and the 'z' pronounced 'ts'.

Examples

"Innanzi a tutti, parlò il sindaco."

Natural Translation

Before everyone, the mayor spoke.

Literal Translation

Before to all, spoke the mayor.

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