Forebitten

/fɔrˈbɪtən/ adjective

Definition

Past participle of an archaic verb, describing something that has been bitten or affected beforehand, or something predetermined by fate.

Etymology

From 'fore-' (before) + 'bitten' (past participle of bite). This archaic formation suggests something marked or affected in advance, as if destiny had already bitten/marked it.

Kelly Says

This beautiful obsolete word captures a fatalistic idea—some things are forebitten, already marked by destiny before you ever encounter them. Medieval writers loved this sense of predetermined doom.

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