predate

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

predate
    v 1: be earlier in time; go back further; "Stone tools precede
         bronze tools" [syn: {predate}, {precede}, {forego},
         {forgo}, {antecede}, {antedate}] [ant: {follow},
         {postdate}]
    2: come before; "Most English adjectives precede the noun they
       modify" [syn: {precede}, {predate}]
    3: prey on or hunt for; "These mammals predate certain eggs"
       [syn: {raven}, {prey}, {predate}]
    4: establish something as being earlier relative to something
       else [syn: {predate}, {antedate}, {foredate}] [ant:
       {postdate}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Predate \Pre*date"\, v. t.
   To date anticipation; to affix to (a document) an earlier
   than the actual date; to antedate; as, a predated deed or
   letter.
   [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

28 Moby Thesaurus words for "predate":
      announce, antecede, antedate, anticipate, backdate, be before,
      be dated, be early, bear date, come before, date, date at,
      date-stamp, dateline, datemark, forerun, go before, herald,
      make a date, pace, postdate, precede, precurse, preexist, proclaim,
      set the date, update, usher in