antebellum

adj.
Belonging to the period before a war, especially the American Civil War.

[Latin ante bellum : ante, before + bellum, war.]

(an-tee-BEL-uhm)

adjective
Relating to the period before a war, especially the American Civil War (1861-1865).

Etymology
From Latin ante (before) + bellum (war). Some other words that have derived from Latin bellum are belligerent, rebel, postbellum, and duel.

Usage
"Historians enthusiastically describe Blandair as a treasure trove of Maryland farm life that reflects the last years of antebellum society." — Susan DeFord; Howard Survivor Has Rosy Future; The Washington Post; Mar 9, 2003.

"This charming antebellum mansion, built in 1854, remains one of the area's most famous landmarks and has achieved celebrity status since its purchase ten years ago." — Loriann Hoff Oberlin; Tara Revisited; Saturday Evening Post (Indianapolis, Indiana); Jan 11, 1994.

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[ܖæntēܒbelǝm]

ܖæntēˈbelǝm adj. occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the Civil War: the conventions of the antebellum South.

Etymology: mid 19th cent.: from Latin, from ante ‘before’ and bellum ‘war.’

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Dating before or existing before the US Civil War (1861–1865).

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(an-tee-bel-uhm)

A descriptive term for objects and institutions, especially houses, that originated three or four decades before the Civil War. Antebellum is Latin for “before the war.”

Before the war. Usually used to describe the United States before the U.S. Civil War (1861-65). Typically spelled antebellum in English.