English
fore-elder
Fore-elder comes from Middle English eldre ‘elder, ancestor’.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eldre‘elder, ancestor’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500foreldre
- Englishtodayfore-elder
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eldre‘elder, ancestor’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500foreldre
- Englishtodayfore-elder
Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘before, formerly’
Proto-Germanic *fura- ‘before, in front of, for’
Proto-West Germanic *forē- ‘before, in front of, fore-, pre-’
English fore-
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós
Proto-Germanic *aldaz ‘old, grown up’
Old English eldra
Middle English eldre
English elder
Every English word from Middle English eldre
Today it means
noun A progenitor or ancestor.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English eldre / fore-elder