Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “forearm” come from?

Forearm derives from Middle English fore- combined with arm, which comes from Old English earm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz, ultimately from Latin arma meaning weapons or tools.

forearm (English): The part of the arm between the wrist and the...

Definitions

  1. The part of the arm between the wrist and the...

Ancestry of “forearm”, 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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →