English

forlighten

From for- + lighten, but also continuing (in altered form) earlier forlyten (“to diminish”), from for- + lite + -en.

Proto-Indo-European *pro- ‘before, in front of’

Proto-Germanic *fra- ‘off, away’

Proto-West Germanic *fra- ‘forms verbs with the sense of "away from" or…’

English for-

Middle English lightnen

Today it means

verb To decrease; reduce; diminish; lighten; lighten up.

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

Etymograph / forlighten