The term ex-ante (sometimes written ex ante or exante) is a New Latin phrase meaning "before the event".[1]
In economics, ex-ante or notional demand refers to the desire for goods and services that is not backed by the ability to pay for those goods and services. This is also termed as 'wants of people'.
Ex-ante is used most commonly in the commercial world, where results of a particular action, or series of actions, are forecast (or intended). The opposite of ex-ante is ex-post (actual) (or ex post). Buying a lottery ticket loses you money ex ante (in expectation), but if you win, it was the right decision ex post.[2]