future

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰuH-“to become, be”
2. Latin · derived fromfutūrus
3. Old French · derived fromfutur
4. Middle English · inherited fromfuture
5. English todayfuture

From Middle English future, futur, from Old French futur, from Latin futūrus, irregular future active participle of sum (“to be”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to become, be”). Cognate with Old English bēo (“to become, will be; to be”). More at be. Doublet of futur. Displaced native Old English tōweard, which took on a different meaning as toward, and Middle English afterhede (“future”, literally “afterhood”) in the given sense.

Words from the same roots