Where does “forgetful” come from?
Forgetful derives from Middle English forȝetful, a formation based on the verb forȝeten with the adjective-forming suffix -ful.
forgetful (English): Unable to remember things well; liable to forget;...
Definitions
- Unable to remember things well; liable to forget;...
Ancestry of “forgetful”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ful | Used to form adjectives from nouns. Full of,... |
| 2 | Middle English | -ful | Appended to nouns to form adjectives denoting... |
| 3 | Old English | -ful | full of; -ful |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -fullaz | -ful |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | fullaz | full; the whole, the entire |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pl̥h₁nós | full |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pleh₁- | to fill |