Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “forever” come from?

Forever comes from Middle English for ever, a phrase combining for and ever that originally meant to continue without end or interruption.

forever (English): For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime;...

Definitions

  1. For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime;...

Ancestry of “forever”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfor ever—

Words derived from “forever”

  • foreverness
  • liveforever
  • foreverhood
Every word from Middle English for ever →