foremost

views updated

foremost The present form, dating from XVI, is an alt., by assoc. with FORE-, of formost, itself an alt., by assoc. with -MOST, of formest (XII), f. forme, OE. forma first (= OFris. forma, OS. formo), with superl. -m- suffix as in L. prīmus PRIME, +-EST, formest having repl. fürmest, firmest :- OE. fyrmest (= Goth. frumists), f. forma, the result being a double superl. Cf. FORMER.

More From encyclopedia.com