or rather; or better still; or better yet; or even.
References
↑ Angelo Prati, "Vocabolario Etimologico Italiano", Torino, 1951; headwords anzi and anti
Etymology
From Latinantea, with the -i under influence of Italian anti(“before, in front of”) (from Latin ante) or from a hypothetical *anteis (from Latin ante + eis).[1]