forcouth

Middle English

FWOTD – 7 April 2019

Etymology

From Old English forcūþ, from Proto-Germanic *frakunþaz, the past participle of *frakunnaną, equivalent to for- + couth. Cognate with Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌸𐍃 (frakunþs, despised). Compare also Old English fracoþ (vile), which may have also sprung from the same original source.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fɔrˈkuːθ/
    Rhymes: -uːθ
  • Hyphenation: for‧couth

Adjective

forcouth

  1. despised, scorned, infamous, vile
    • c. 1200, Laȝamon, Brut, line 28240, MS. Cotton Caligula A IX
      Nu was sum for-cuð kempe / in Arðures ferde.
      Now there was some infamous knight / in Arthur’s army.
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