Where does “foresight” come from?

Foresight derives from Middle English forsight, a compound of fore- and sight referring to looking ahead or anticipating future events.

foresight (English): The ability to foresee or prepare wisely for the...

Definitions

  1. The ability to foresee or prepare wisely for the...

Ancestry of “foresight”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishforsight—
2LatinprōvidentiaThe ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge
3Latinprōvidēnsforeseeing
4Latinprōvideōto foresee
5Latinprō-forward direction, forward movement
6Proto-Italic*pro-pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “foresight”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →Every word from Proto-Indo-European per- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European por- →