Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “form” come from?

Form comes from Middle English forme, from Old French forme, from Latin forma meaning "shape or appearance," from Ancient Greek μορφή, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per-.

form (English): To do with shape; To do with structure or...

Definitions

  1. To do with shape; To do with structure or...

Ancestry of “form”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishformefirst; shape, figure, manner, bench, frame, seat,...
2Old Englishformafirst
3Old Englishforebefore; forepart, front
4Proto-Germanicfuraibefore, in front of; before, in front
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “form”

  • forming
  • waveform
  • formless
  • forme
  • isoform
  • multiform
  • microform
  • landform
  • beamforming
  • formlessness
  • formwork
  • preform
  • subform
  • thermoforming
  • planform
  • formability
  • formfitting
  • electroforming
  • lifeform
  • formable
  • bedform
  • letterform
  • formeth
  • formlessly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →