Etymograph

English

forne

Forne comes from Middle English ferne ‘old, long ago, distant, past’, from Old English fyrn ‘former, ancient’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘next, of, out, through’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘next, of, out, through’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*furnazreconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150fyrn‘former, ancient’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ferne‘old, long ago, distant, past’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1564forne

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘next, of, out, through’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*furnazreconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150fyrn‘former, ancient’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ferne‘old, long ago, distant, past’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1564forne

Earliest quotation: 1564, Nicholas Udall: “The Camel's hous; whiche it is saied that a…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘next, of, out, through’

first, far, per, before, further, support, price, private, press, practice, report, fear, pre, primary, prime, opportunity, appreciate, prize, pregnant, prior, practical, transport, sport, port, precious, praise, interpretation, privilege, parade, par, afford, ferry, pirate, fare, pardon, ford, forth, primitive, prix, porch, 158 more

Today it means

adj Former.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / forne