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.

Related terms

• fraked