fore-elder

noun

A progenitor or ancestor.

OriginMiddle English foreldre →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounfore-elder (plural fore-elders)

plural fore-elders

  1. ScotlandA progenitor or ancestor.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
ancestor

Origin

  1. Middle Englishforeldre
  2. Englishfore-elder

From Middle English foreldre, from fore- (“fore-”) + eldre (“elder, ancestor”); equivalent to fore- + elder. Compare Old Norse foreldrar (“fore-elders”, plural), whence Danish forældre (“parents”), Swedish föräldrar (“parents”). Compare also Dutch voorouder (“ancestor”), German Voreltern (“ancestors”).

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

fore-elder. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fore-elder

MLA

“fore-elder.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fore-elder. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fore-elder,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fore-elder.

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