English
forespeaker
Forespeaker comes from Old English forespreca ‘one who speaks on behalf of another’, and goes back to Proto-West Germanic *sprekō.
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*sprekōreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150spreca‘speaker’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150forespreca‘one who speaks on behalf of another’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500forspeker
- Englishearliest quotation 2000forespeaker
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*sprekōreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150spreca‘speaker’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150forespreca‘one who speaks on behalf of another’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500forspeker
- Englishearliest quotation 2000forespeaker
Earliest quotation: 2000, David Lemmings, Professors of the Law: “When professional lawyers attending the royal courts first become…”
Formed from forespeak + -er
Every English word from Proto-West Germanic *sprekō
Today it means
noun One who speaks on behalf of another; an advocate.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *sprekō / forespeaker