Ancestors or relatives from previous generations who came before you in your family line.
From Old English 'fore-' meaning 'before' combined with 'parents.' The prefix 'fore-' has been used since ancient times to indicate something preceding in time or position, while 'parents' comes from Latin 'parens' meaning 'father or mother.'
This word shows how English uses prefixes to create new meanings—by adding 'fore-' to 'parents,' speakers could talk about ancestry without needing a whole new word. Many languages do similar things, which is why prefixes like 'fore-' appear in hundreds of English words from 'foresee' to 'forewarn.'
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