Where does “forfader” come from?

forfader (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Norwegian Bokmål før, from Old Norse fóðr, from Middle Low German vōder, from Proto-Germanic fōdrą, from Proto-Germanic fōdô, from Proto-Indo-European pat- — to feed; path; to go.

forfader (Norwegian Bokmål): an ancestor, a forefather

Definitions

  1. an ancestor, a forefather

Ancestry of “forfader”, step by step

forfader traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Bokmål før

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålførbefore; imperative of føre; present tense of fø
2Old Norsefóðrfodder; sheath
3Middle Low Germanvōderlinen, sheath; sheath, linen
4Proto-Germanicfōdrąfodder; sheath
5Proto-Germanicfōdôfood, nourishment
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpat-to feed; path; to go

via Norwegian Bokmål fader

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålfaderfather
2Old Norsefaðirfather
3Proto-Germanicfadērfather
4Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂tḗrfather
5Proto-Indo-European-tḗrDerives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pat- →Every word from Proto-Germanic fōdô →Every word from Proto-Germanic fōdrą →