Etymology

afford

A1F4F4O1R1D2

Today it means: To incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; (usually after an expression of ability, as could, able, difficult) to be able or rich enough; to spare. Full definition →

Middle English afforthen ← Old English forþian ← Proto-Germanic *furþōną
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The story

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*furþą“forth, forward”
  2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*furþōną
  3. Old English · inherited fromforþian
  4. Middle English · inherited fromafforthen
  5. English todayafford

From Middle English afforthen, aforthen, avorthien, from earlier iforthen, iforthien, ȝeforthien, from Old English forþian, ġeforþian (“to further, accomplish, afford”), from Proto-Germanic *furþōną, from Proto-Germanic *furþą (“forth, forward”), equivalent to a- + forth. Cognate with Old Norse forða (“to forward oneself, save oneself, escape danger”), Icelandic forða (“to save, rescue”).

Words from the same roots

Proto-Germanic*furþą all →

forthforth-forthcomeforthgoforthward

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.