Where does “farther” come from?
Further derives from Middle English further, Old English furþor, Proto-West Germanic furþer, and Proto-Indo-European per-, meaning to go forward or across.
farther (English): Alternative form of further
Definitions
- Alternative form of further
Ancestry of “farther”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | further | To help forward; to assist; To encourage growth;... |
| 2 | Middle English | further | — |
| 3 | Old English | furþor | further |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | furþer | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |