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• fore
  fore

  adjective

  situated at or toward the front, as compared with something else.
• fore-
  fore-

  a prefix meaning “before” (in space, time, condition, etc.), “front,” “superior,” etc..

fore

¹ American  

[fawr] / fɔr /

adjective

1. situated at or toward the front, as compared with something else.

2. previous; earlier.

   cities that existed in a fore time.

3. Nautical.

   1. of or relating to a foremast.

   2. noting a sail, yard, boom, etc., or any rigging belonging to a fore lower mast or to some upper mast of a foremast.

   3. 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.

   4. situated at or toward the bow of a vessel; forward.

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adverb

1. Nautical. at or toward the bow.

2. forward.

3. Obsolete. before.

noun

• fores
  plural

1. the forepart of anything; front.

2. Nautical. the fore, the foremast.

preposition

1. Informal. Also 'fore before.

idioms

1. fore and aft, in, at, or to both ends of a ship.

2. to the fore,

   1. into a conspicuous place or position; to or at the front.

   2. at hand; ready; available.

   3. still alive.

fore ² American  

[fawr, fohr] / fɔr, foʊr /

interjection

Golf.

1. (used as a cry of warning to persons on a course who are in danger of being struck by the ball.)

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fore- ³ American  

1. a prefix meaning “before” (in space, time, condition, etc.), “front,” “superior,” etc..

   forehead; forecastle; forecast; foretell; foreman.

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fore ¹ British  

/ fɔː /

adjective

1. (usually in combination) located at, in, or towards the front

   the forelegs of a horse

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noun

1. the front part

2. something located at, in, or towards the front

3. short for foremast

4. located at or directed towards both ends of a vessel

   a fore-and-aft rig

5. 1. to or into the front or conspicuous position

   2. alive or active

      is your grandfather still to the fore?

adverb

1. at or towards a ship's bow

2. obsolete before

preposition

1. a less common word for before

fore- ² British  

prefix

1. before in time or rank

   foresight

   forefather

   foreman

2. at or near the front; before in place

   forehead

   forecourt

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fore ³ British  

/ fɔː /

interjection

1. (in golf) a warning shout made by a player about to make a shot

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fore More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fore

• to the fore

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Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fores
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of fore¹

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

Origin of fore²

First recorded in 1875–80; probably shortening of before

Origin of fore-³

Combining form representing Middle English, Old English for ( e )

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Explanation

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fore fore- fores

The court then buried the allegations against Mr. Khan for months until these columns and a few others brought them to the fore.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Slok’s observation was widely shared on X, and brought to the fore other ways AI could save people money—and hit corporate profits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Charley Hull got the ball rolling as Europe's big names finally came to the fore in Sunday's singles as they wrestled the Solheim Cup back from the USA with a 15-13 victory in the Netherlands.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

The technology was first conceived decades ago but came to the fore during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Moderna and Pfizer developed vaccines that were highly effective against serious forms of the illness.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

An angular citizen with popping eyes, and clothes too short for the lank length of his limbs, was pulling to the fore.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Shaw-Asquith flicked wet blond locks off his fore- head.

From The Verge ● Jun. 17, 2018

Deliberately paced, beautifully shot, high-toned, twisty mysteries feature international locations, distressed parents, three-dimensional characters in the fore-, middle- and background, memorable acting everywhere.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2014

Opposite the helm is a spacious sunpad, but I was surprised that it couldn't be tilted up to provide either a fore- or aft-facing backrest.

From Time Magazine Archive

A garish red abrasion colored his fore- head.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

I’m starting to get annoyed, and it must show, because Mr. Gore writes me a pass and holds it up between his fore- and middle fingers.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick

He fores down two bouncers at Asif, much to Michael Holding's satisfaction.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 9, 2010

Jack an’ me started for the market; but fores crossin’ the ferry at Goodrich us heerd as how the Sheriff wor down at Monnerth, an’ had helped them o’ Ragland to capter the town.

From No Quarter! by Mayne Reid

Five of the strings make what the natives call a fore; and fifty fores make an alkove, which generally weighs about sixty pounds.

From Samboe; or, The African Boy by Mary Ann Hedge

Splay and twist as you like, poke with the tangling fores of fishes or rats, You'll be unmuzzled, you certainly will.

From Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

"He can mak' de cut in de meedle of de fores'."

From The Blazed Trail by Stewart Edward White

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