fore-

UK/fɔː/US/fɔɹ//foːɹ//foə/

prefix

Before: the root is happening earlier in time.

“foreday”

Similar
pre-ante-
Opposite
post-after-
OriginMiddle English fore- ← Old English fore- ← Proto-West Germanic *forē- →
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Meanings

fore-1

prefix
  1. Before with respect to time; earlier.
    1. Before: the root is happening earlier in time.

      forewarn

      2 more examples

      foreshadow

      forechosen

    2. The early stage of the root time period

      foreday

      2 more examples

      foredawn

      foreyear

    3. Directly or immediately preceding in time.

      foreking

      2 more examples

      forebirth

      forehammer

  2. Before with respect to position: front, ahead, leading, anterior.
    1. Positioned at or near the front.

      forehew

      2 more examples

      forebooth

      foregear

    2. nauticalThe fore of a ship.

      foreboom

      2 more examples

      forecabin

      forebridge

    3. Anterior: the frontal part of a body.

      forehoof

      2 more examples

      forebrain

      foregear

    4. Outer: the leading, outward portion of a wave or effort; or a distal part of a body.

      forearm

      3 more examples

      forebeam

      forefront

      forebreast

    5. Forepart: the front part of an object or area.

      forebody

      2 more examples

      forecourt

      forehand

    6. Near, close to, adjacent in position.

      forby

      2 more examples

      foredune

      foreland

    7. Nearest: the part of the root which is nearest/closest.

      forend

      2 more examples

      forebeach

      forefield

  3. Forward in direction.
    1. Forward in temporal direction, anticipating.

      foredawn

      2 more examples

      foreglimpse

      forecast

    2. Forward in spatial direction.

      forebite

      2 more examples

      forehearth

      foregaze

    3. Outward in spatial direction.

      forecry

      2 more examples

      forehand

      foreleader

  4. Before with respect to order or rank: first, prior, superior, ahead.
    1. Previous or earlier in order or sequence.

      forebook

      2 more examples

      foredescribed

      forebelief

    2. First in order or sequence.

      forebell

      2 more examples

      forefinger

      foredeal

    3. Greater in rank, superior

      forby

      2 more examples

      forehand

      forechoice

    4. Prominent, most important, foremost or greatest in rank

      forehand

      2 more examples

      forecolour

      foreground

    5. Ancestor, ancestral

      forebear

      2 more examples

      forefather

      fore-elder

fore-2

prefix
  1. Used to indicate error, exclusion, or inadequacy; Alternative form of for-.

    forelay

fore-3

prefix
  1. alternativeAlternative form of for-: outside, out.

    foreclose

Synonyms & antonyms

in front of

Similar
pre-ante-

antonym(s) of “in front of”

Opposite
post-

antonym(s) of “beforehand”

Opposite
after-
Also see
ante-pre-

Origin

fore- · prefix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*pr̥h₂éy
  4. Proto-Germanic*furai
  5. Proto-Germanic*furai-
  6. Proto-West Germanic*forē-
  7. Old Englishfore-
  8. Middle Englishfore-
  9. Englishfore-

From Middle English fore-, from Old English fore-, from Proto-West Germanic *forē-, from Proto-Germanic *fura-, *furai- (“before, in front of, for”), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“before, formerly; through, throughout”). Akin to Old Saxon and Old High German fora-, Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌰- (faura-) (see 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌰 (faura)), Dutch voor- (“fore-”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

fore- · prefix

"Occurring only in words adopted from French, as forcatch v., forfeit n., forprise n., represents Old French for-, fors-, identical with fors adv. (modern French hors) outside, out."

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with fore-

fororyourmorestorebeforefourwarsuretourmaturethereforeensureflooroutdoorcorepoorhardcorenorexplorepureMoorehorrorpour
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

fourfor (horse–hoarse merger)
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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