English
foray
Foray comes from Middle English forrayen ‘to pillage’, from Frankish *fōdar ‘fodder, sheath’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *patrom.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*patrom‘fodder’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdrą‘fodder, feed, sheath’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*fōdar‘fodder, sheath’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400forrier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500forrayen‘to pillage’
- Englishearliest quotation 1590foray
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*patrom‘fodder’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdrą‘fodder, feed, sheath’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*fōdar‘fodder, sheath’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400forrier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500forrayen‘to pillage’
- Englishearliest quotation 1590foray
Earliest quotation: 1590, Edward Spenser: “He bad to open wyde his brazen gate, Which…”
Linked words
through Proto-Germanic *fōdrą ‘fodder, feed, sheath’
through Frankish *fōdar ‘fodder, sheath’
Today it means
noun A sudden or irregular incursion in border warfare; hence, any irregular incursion for war or spoils; a raid.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *patrom / foray