former English · revision 3657

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=mid-12th century}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈfɔː.mə/, US /ˈfɔːr.mɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|former]], formed from [[m|enm|forme|t=first]] with the comparative suffix [[-er]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(COED 2004) probably on the model of [[m|enm|formest|t=foremost]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Middle English ''forme'' continues Old English [[m|ang|forma|t=first]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*fruma-]],^(Etymonline) from [[ine-pro|*pre-mo-]], a superlative form of [[m|ine-pro|*per-|t=forward]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Barnhart and Etymonline point out the oddity of a comparative built on an old superlative, the ''m'' of ''forma'' being a superlative suffix as old as Indo-European.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[foremost]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Earlier in time: mid-12th century according to Etymonline;^(Etymonline) Barnhart notes a possible use about 1160 in the Hatton Gospels, a Middle English innovation in an Old English text, but otherwise dates the word to before 1375.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Hoad records the obsolete senses “first, primeval” in the 13th century and “more forward” in the 14th.^(Hoad 1986) “The first of two”, as in ''the former and the latter'', is from the 1580s,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) and is found with ''latter'' from 1597.^(HTOED) ''Formerly'' appears in Spenser's ''Faerie Queene'' (1596).^(Barnhart 1988) It first meant “just now” or “beforehand”, and since the 16th century it has meant “in former days”.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * mid-12th century – earlier in time.^(Etymonline)

+ * 13th century – first, primeval (obsolete).^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1580s – the first of two.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1596 – ''formerly'' (Spenser).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1597 – ''the former'' with ''the latter''.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Earlier in time; belonging to the past.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Having been in the past: ''a former president''.^(AHD)

+ # Coming before in place or order; [[foregoing]].^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+ # Being the first of two mentioned.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(the former)'' The first of two things mentioned.^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[formerly]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[foremost]]

+ * [[latter]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that grammarians insist on ''the former'' and ''the latter'' only for the first and second of two things, though other uses are easy to find.^(AHD) A separate noun ''former'', “one who forms, a maker”, was formed from ''form'' in the mid-14th century,^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) and is also a pupil in a school form, as in ''sixth-former''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}