forefather

The story

1. Old Norse · derived fromforfaðir
2. Old English · inherited fromforefæder“forefather”
3. Middle English · inherited fromforefader
4. English todayforefather

From Middle English forefader, forfader, vorvader, from Old English forefæder (“forefather”), but possibly also merged with Old Norse forfaðir. Equivalent to fore- + father. Compare Dutch voorvader (“forefather”), German Vorvater, Vorfahr (“forefather”), Danish forfader (“forefather”), Swedish förfader (“forefather”).