Where does “foremastman” come from?

foremastman (English) comes from English foremast, 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 — passed , crossed.

foremastman (English): Any sailor below the rank of petty officer

Definitions

  1. Any sailor below the rank of petty officer

Ancestry of “foremastman”, step by step

foremastman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English foremast

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishforemastThe mast nearest the bow, on a ship with more...
2EnglishForeA people of Papua New Guinea
3GermanFahr—
4GermanFähreferry
5Middle High Germanverren—
6Old High Germanferranafrom afar
7Old High Germanferroafar; skipper
8Proto-West Germanic*ferrō—
9Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English MAN

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMANInitialism of Metropolitan Area Network
2EnglishmanualA handbook; A booklet that instructs on the usage...
3Middle Englishmanuel—
4Anglo-Normanmanuelmanual; done with the hands; handle; manual;...
5Old Frenchmanual—
6Latinmanuālishand
7Latinmanushand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting
8Proto-Italicmanushand
9Proto-Indo-Europeanman-human being; man; hand
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →Every word from Proto-Indo-European per- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European per-nóy →