English

forebuilding

From fore- + building.

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-

Middle English byldynge

Today it means

noun An outer defense work of a castle used to protect the entrance to the keep.

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

Etymograph / forebuilding