Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fore-” come from?

fore- (English) comes from English Fore, from German Fahr, from German Fähre, from Middle High German verren, from Old High German ferrana, from Old High German ferro, from Proto-West Germanic *ferrō, from Proto-Germanic ferrai — passed , crossed.

fore- (English): Positioned at or near the front; Before; ahead or...

Definitions

  1. Positioned at or near the front; Before; ahead or...

Ancestry of “fore-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishForeA people of Papua New Guinea
2GermanFahr—
3GermanFähreferry
4Middle High Germanverren—
5Old High Germanferranafrom afar
6Old High Germanferroafar; skipper
7Proto-West Germanic*ferrō—
8Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “fore-”

  • fore
  • aforesaid
  • foreground
  • foreman
  • aforementioned
  • forearm
  • forbearance
  • forefinger
  • forbear
  • foreword
  • foreknowledge
  • forebrain
  • foremast
  • foreshadow
  • foreskin
  • foreplay
  • foresail
  • aforetime
  • forecourt
  • foreshore
  • foreland
  • forehand
  • forborne
  • foreleg
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →