aforehand

A1F4O1R1E1H4A1N1D2

adverb

Beforehand; in advance; in anticipation.

“He is aforehand with the world.”

OriginMiddle English aforehande →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

adverbaforehand (not comparable)
  1. archaicdialectalnot comparableBeforehand; in advance; in anticipation.

    [S]he is come aforehand to anoint my body[.]

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 14:8
adjectiveaforehand (comparative more aforehand, superlative most aforehand)

comparative more aforehand · superlative most aforehand

  1. Beforehand in condition; forehanded.

    He is aforehand with the world.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
formerlysometimeswhilerewhilom

Origin

  1. Middle Englishaforehande
  2. Englishaforehand

From Middle English aforehande, equivalent to afore- + hand. Compare Scots aforehaund.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

aforehand. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aforehand

MLA

“aforehand.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aforehand. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “aforehand,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/aforehand.

Source: aforehand on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.