Etymograph

English

first

First comes from Middle English first, from Old English fyrest, from Proto-Germanic *furistaz, ultimately from PIE *per- ‘before’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘before’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*preh₂-‘before’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*furai‘before’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*furistaz‘first’reconstructedsuperlative of *furai
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*furistreconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150fyrest
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500first
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1699same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘before’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*preh₂-‘before’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*furai‘before’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*furistaz‘first’reconstructedsuperlative of *furai
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*furistreconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150fyrest
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500first
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1699same form

Earliest quotation: 1699, William Temple: “Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the…”

Formed from fore + -est

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘before’

support, far, per, report, further, price, private, press, practice, fear, opportunity, pre, primary, prior, prime, appreciate, port, prize, afford, pregnant, ford, practical, forth, precious, praise, interpretation, privilege, parade, par, ferry, fare, porch, pardon, primitive, prix, pirate, interpreter, pragmatic, privy, prism, 157 more

through Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- ‘before’

for, premier, prestigious, forbid, primer, prairie, preface, primate, prefix, primacy, precede, preeminent, prescient, parasol, parley, portobello, impregnate, 17 more

through Proto-Germanic *furai ‘before’

before

Today it means

adj Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / first

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