Where does “afore” come from?

afore (Scots) comes from Middle English afore, from Old English onforan, from Old English on, from Proto-West Germanic ana, from Proto-Germanic *an, from Proto-Germanic ana, from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- — on, onto.

afore (Scots): before, in front; before, previously, in advance;...

Definitions

before, in front; before, previously, in advance;...

Ancestry of “afore”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Middle English	afore	before; afore; before; afore: in advance of the...
2	Old English	onforan	before, in front of
3	Old English	on	on, in, at, among; from
4	Proto-West Germanic	ana	on
5	Proto-Germanic	*an	—
6	Proto-Germanic	ana	on, at; on, onto; ana
7	Proto-Indo-European	h₂en-	on, onto

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →Every word from Proto-Germanic ana →Every word from Proto-Germanic *an →