English
afore
Afore comes from Middle English afore ‘before’, and goes back to Old English onforan.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150onforan‘before, in front of’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500afore‘before’
- Englishearliest quotation 1610–1611same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150onforan‘before, in front of’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500afore‘before’
- Englishearliest quotation 1610–1611same form
Earliest quotation: 1610–1611, William Shakespeare, The Tempest: “Stephano: He's in his fit now ; and doe's…”
Proto-Indo-European *uds- ‘up, out’
Proto-Germanic *uz- ‘out-’
Proto-West Germanic *uʀ- ‘up, out, over’
English a-
Every English word from Old English onforan
Today it means
adv Before, temporally.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English onforan / afore