Foremost

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈfɔː.məʊst/

Origin

From Old English formest, fyrmest ("earliest, first, most prominent"), from Proto-Germanic *frumistaz, from the locative stem *fur-, fr- + the superlative suffix *-umistaz. The suffix *-umistaz was a compound suffix, created from the rarer comparative suffix *-umô (as in Old English fruma) + the regular superlative suffix *-istaz (English -est). Cognate with Old Frisian formest, Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌿𐌼𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃. See for, first and Old English fruma for more.

The Old English suffix -mest was eventually conflated with the word most through folk etymology, so that it is now interpreted as fore + -most; former was back-formed analogically.

Full definition of foremost

Adjective

1. first, either in time or in space
2. of a higher rank or position; paramount
3. (nautical) closest to the bow

Adverb

1. in front
2. prominently forward