English
forethought
Forethought comes from Old English þenċan ‘to think’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *teng-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*teng-‘to think, feel, perceive, know’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tong-éye-tireconstructedcausative of *teng-
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*þankijaną‘to perceive, to think’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*þankijan‘to think’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150þenċan‘to think’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150foreþenċanas *foreþōhtreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500forethouht
- Englishtodayforethought
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*teng-‘to think, feel, perceive, know’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tong-éye-tireconstructedcausative of *teng-
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*þankijaną‘to perceive, to think’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*þankijan‘to think’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150þenċan‘to think’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150foreþenċanas *foreþōhtreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500forethouht
- Englishtodayforethought
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 *teng- ‘to think’
…
Proto-Germanic *þanhtaz ‘thought’
Proto-West Germanic *þą̄ht
Old English þōht
Middle English thought ‘product of mental activity’
English thought
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *teng- ‘to think, feel, perceive, know’
thank, tent, dunk, tinge, methinks, tincture, 18 more
through Proto-Germanic *þankijaną ‘to perceive, to think’
through Old English þenċan ‘to think’
Today it means
noun Thinking beforehand or in advance, planning; prior or previous consideration.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *teng- / forethought