forerun
|for-er-run|
🇺🇸
/fɔrˈrʌn/
🇬🇧
/fɔːˈrʌn/
run before; precede
Etymology
'forerun' originates from Old English elements: the prefix 'fore-' meaning 'before' and the verb 'run' from Old English 'rinnan'/'rinnan' meaning 'to run, flow'.
'forerun' developed through Middle English combinations of 'fore-' + forms of 'run' (e.g. Middle English constructions meaning 'run before') and eventually took the modern form 'forerun' in Modern English.
Initially it meant 'to run ahead' (often literally); over time it broadened to mean 'to precede in time' or 'to be a precursor/harbinger' in both literal and figurative senses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
something that comes before and indicates or paves the way for what follows; a precursor (less common usage).
Those early experiments were a forerun of later advances in the field.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Verb 1
to occur or appear before (something) in time; to precede.
Dark clouds often forerun a storm.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/02 19:04