aforethought

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UK/əˈfɔː.θɔːt/US/əˈfɔɹ.θɔt/US/əˈfɔɹ.θɑt/

adjective

Premeditated; planned ahead of time.

“This act was not merely wrong; it was clearly done with malice aforethought.”

Similar
plannedpremeditatedplotted
OriginEnglish thought ← Middle English thought ← Old English þōht →
UncommonScrabble 22
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Meanings

adjectiveaforethought (not comparable)
  1. not comparablepostpositionalPremeditated; planned ahead of time.

    This act was not merely wrong; it was clearly done with malice aforethought.

    Synonyms: planned, premeditated

nounaforethought (plural aforethoughts)

plural aforethoughts

  1. alternativeAlternative form of forethought

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivePremeditated; planned ahead of time.

Similar
plannedpremeditated

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivewith planning and intention

Similar
plannedplottedpremeditated
Also see
forethoughtplannedpremeditated

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englisha-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*pr̥h₂éy
  5. Proto-Germanic*furai
  6. Proto-Germanic*furai-
  7. Proto-West Germanic*forē-
  8. Old Englishfore-
  9. Middle Englishfore-
  10. Englishfore-
  11. Englishafore-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*teng-
  13. Proto-Germanic*þankijaną
  14. Proto-Germanic*þanhtaz
  15. Proto-West Germanic*þą̄ht
  16. Old Englishþōht
  17. Middle Englishthought
  18. Englishthought
  19. Englishaforethought

From afore- + thought.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مُدَبَّر, مُبَيَّت
  • مُدَبَّر (mudabbar)premeditated; planned ahead of time
  • مُبَيَّت (mubayyat)premeditated; planned ahead of time
Bulgarian предумишлен
  • предумишлен (predumišlen)premeditated; planned ahead of time
Finnish suunniteltu, harkittu
  • suunniteltupremeditated; planned ahead of time
  • harkittupremeditated; planned ahead of time
Polish rozmyślny, umyślny
  • rozmyślnypremeditated; planned ahead of time
  • umyślnypremeditated; planned ahead of time
Turkish kasıtlı, planlı
  • kasıtlıpremeditated; planned ahead of time
  • planlıpremeditated; planned ahead of time
  • planlanmışpremeditated; planned ahead of time
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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