situated at or toward the front, as compared with something else.
previous; earlier.
cities that existed in a fore time.
Nautical.
of or relating to a foremast.
noting a sail, yard, boom, etc., or any rigging belonging to a fore lower mast or to some upper mast of a foremast.
noting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a fore lower mast or to some specified upper mast of a foremast.
fore topmast stay.
situated at or toward the bow of a vessel; forward.
Nautical. at or toward the bow.
Obsolete. before.
the front part
something located at, in, or towards the front
short for foremast
located at or directed towards both ends of a vessel
a fore-and-aft rig
to or into the front or conspicuous position
alive or active
is your grandfather still to the fore?
at or towards a ship's bow
obsolete before
before in time or rank
foresight
forefather
foreman
at or near the front; before in place
forehead
forecourt
What does fore- mean? Fore- is a prefix meaning “before,” "front," or "superior." It is occasionally used in everyday and technical terms. In some terms, such as fore-check, the prefix is separated from the second element with a hyphen. Fore- comes from Old English for(e), meaning “before” or “front.” The Latin cognate and translation is prae “before,” which is the source of pre-, as in prefix and preposition. Learn more at our entry for each word.
By construal of fore- as an adjective, hence nominalized; fore and aft perhaps as translation of Dutch or Low German; sense “before” fore 1 ( defs. 6, 9 ) perhaps continuation of Middle English, Old English fore in this sense, or as shortening of afore
First recorded in 1875–80; probably shortening of before
Combining form representing Middle English, Old English for ( e )
The front of a ship is called the fore, and the back is the "aft." A cruise ship might be so large that your cabin at the ship's fore is almost a quarter mile from your sister's in the aft. Fore also refers more generally to something at or near the front, like someone who's at the fore of her profession as a pastry chef. As an adjective, fore also describes things close to the front — your puppy's fore legs are the ones in front. When golfers shout, "Fore!" it's a warning to watch out for the ball, or to "look ahead."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1856 he devoted a July Fourth speech to “that Declaration made to the world, by our Fore Fathers, ‘That all men are born free and equal.’
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026
The baby, referred to in official documents as Baby Auckland, was found by contractors renovating a building on Fore Bondgate in Bishop Auckland in July 2024.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Durham Police said it had also begun tracing previous residents of the address in Fore Bondgate.
From BBC • Jul. 30, 2024
Gregg Fore, an RV industry consultant who previously ran an RV parts supplier, said half the new inventory at some dealers he works with are 2022 models.
From Reuters • Jul. 25, 2023
Fore I know it, you’ll be astin’ for a bathroom!”
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
