Meanings
fore1
superlative foremost
- no comparativeuncommon outside of nautical usageForward; situated towards the front (of something).First known use 16th c.
Crystal vases with crimson roses and golden-brown asters were set here and there in the fore part of the shop […]
1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin, published 2011, page 231 more example
The fore end of the tape is drawn out, and when the indicator points to this number the end is firmly fixed to the front of the camera.
1921, The Photographic Journal, page 8
- golfAn exclamation yelled to inform players a ball is moving in their direction.
- uncountableThe front; the forward part of something; the foreground.
People face a dilemma whenever they bring to the fore an understanding that appears inadequate in the light of the other beliefs they bring to bear on it.
2002, Mark Bevir, The Logic of the History of Ideas1 more example
The waiting-room was now less empty than Watt had at first supposed, to judge by the presence, some two paces to Watt's fore, and as many to his right, of what seemed to be an object of some importance.
1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC
- not comparableIn the part that precedes or goes first; opposed to aft, after, back, behind, etc.
- not comparableobsoleteFormerly; previously; afore.
The eyes, fore duteous, now converted are.
1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 7”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC
Fore2
- pluralplural onlyA people of Papua New Guinea.
- Their language.
Fore3
- A surname.
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbIn or towards the bows of a ship.
antonym(s) of “order”
antonym(s) of “location”
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
fore · adjective, interjection, noun, adverb
A development of the prefix fore-.
Full word history & related roots →Fore · proper noun
From the German surname, Americanized from Fahr, from the noun Fähre (“ferry”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian предишен, преден
- предишен (predišen)former; occurring earlier
- преден (preden)forward; at or toward the front
- нос (nos)front
Dutch eerste, eerdere
- eersteformer; occurring earlier
- eerdereformer; occurring earlier
- voorsteforward; at or toward the front
- voor-forward; at or toward the front
- voorkantfront
Finnish edellinen, etu-
- edellinenformer; occurring earlier
- etu-forward; at or toward the front
- etummainenforward; at or toward the front
- keula-forward; at or toward the front
- forein golf: yelled to inform players a ball is moving in their direction
- etuosafront
- keulafront
French avant, devant
- avantfront
- devantfront
Japanese ファー
- ファー (fā)in golf: yelled to inform players a ball is moving in their direction
Māori takamua
- takamuaforward; at or toward the front
Polish przedni
- przedniforward; at or toward the front
Russian ра́нний, пере́дний
- ра́нний (ránnij)former; occurring earlier
- пере́дний (perédnij)forward; at or toward the front
- носово́й (nosovój)forward; at or toward the front
- нос (nos)front
- пе́ред (péred)front
- пере́дняя ча́сть (perédnjaja částʹ)front
Swedish tidigare, före
- tidigareformer; occurring earlier
- föreformer; occurring earlier
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with fore
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
fore. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fore
“fore.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fore. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fore,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fore.
Source: fore on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.