Where does “forelegged” come from?

forelegged (English) comes from English foreleg, from English fore-, from English Fore, from German Fahr, from German Fähre, from Middle High German verren, from Old High German ferrana, from Old High German ferro — passed , crossed.

forelegged (English): Having forelegs

Definitions

  1. Having forelegs

Ancestry of “forelegged”, step by step

forelegged traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English foreleg

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishforelegEither of the two legs towards the front of a...
2Englishfore-Positioned at or near the front; Before; ahead or...
3EnglishForeA people of Papua New Guinea
4GermanFahr
5GermanFähreferry
6Middle High Germanverren
7Old High Germanferranafrom afar
8Old High Germanferroafar; skipper
9Proto-West Germanic*ferrō
10Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy
12Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English ED

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishEDInitialism of erectile dysfunction; Initialism of...
2Japaneseエンディングending, especially of a broadcast or performance
3EnglishendingA termination or conclusion; The last part of...
4Middle EnglishendingAlternative form of endyng
5Middle EnglishendyngAn ending, termination, or conclusion;...
6Old Englishendungending
7Old Englishendianto end, make an end of; to finish, complete; to...
8Proto-Germanicandijōnąto end, bring to an end, finish
9Proto-Germanicandijazend
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂entíosfront; forehead
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós