English
forewall
Forewall comes from Old English foreweall ‘a rampart or bulwark’, from weall ‘wall’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek ἧλος ‘nailhead, stud’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἧλοςhêlos‘nailhead, stud’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvallum‘wall, rampart, entrenchment’
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wall‘wall, rampart’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150weall‘wall’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150foreweall‘a rampart or bulwark’
- Englishtodayforewall
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἧλοςhêlos‘nailhead, stud’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvallum‘wall, rampart, entrenchment’
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wall‘wall, rampart’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150weall‘wall’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150foreweall‘a rampart or bulwark’
- Englishtodayforewall
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 *welH- ‘to turn’
Latin vallum ‘wall’
Proto-West Germanic *wall ‘wall’
Old English weall ‘wall’
Middle English wal
English wall
Every English word from Ancient Greek ἧλος
Today it means
noun The foremost outer wall of a fortification; rampart, bulwark.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἧλος / forewall