further

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*per-
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*furþer
3. Old English · inherited fromforþor
4. Middle English · inherited fromfurther
5. English todayfurther

From Middle English further, forther, from Old English forþor, furþor (“further”, adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *furþer, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (a common preposition), equivalent to fore + -ther (a vestigial comparative ending still present in such words as other, either, whether, and, in altered form, in after); or as sometimes stated, as forth + -er. Cognate with Scots forder, furder (“further”), Saterland Frisian foarder (“further”), West Frisian fierder (“further”), Dutch verder (“further”), German fürder (“further”).

Words from the same roots