Where does “forelock” come from?

Forelock comes from Middle English forelock, from Old English forelocc, combining the prefix fore- with locc, and deriving ultimately from Proto-Germanic furai- and Proto-Indo-European per-, meaning "forward" or "through."

forelock (English): The part of a person's hairstyle which covers the...

Definitions

  1. The part of a person's hairstyle which covers the...

Ancestry of “forelock”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishforelock—
2Old Englishforelocca forelock; lock of hair that covers the forehead
3Old Englishlocclock
4Proto-West Germanic*lukk—
5Proto-Germaniclukkazlock; curl
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlugnó-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlewǵ-to break, tear; to break, shatter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewǵ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European lugnó- →Every word from Proto-Germanic lukkaz →