forebear
fore·bear
noun \-ˌber\Definition of FOREBEAR
: ancestor, forefather; also : precursor —usually used in plural
Variants of FOREBEAR
fore·bear also for·bear \-ˌber\
Examples of FOREBEAR
- His forebears fought in the American Civil War.
- <his forebears came to America on the Mayflower>
Origin of FOREBEAR
Middle English (Scots), from fore- + -bear (from been to be)
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to FOREBEAR
- Synonyms
- father, ancestor (also forbear), forebearer, forefather, grandfather, primogenitor, progenitor
- Antonyms
- descendant (also descendent)
Rhymes with FOREBEAR
affair, aglare, airfare, Ajmer, Altair, antbear, armchair, au pair, aware, bakeware, barware, Basseterre, Baudelaire, beachwear, bergère, beware, bid fair, big hair, black bear, bricklayer, broodmare, brown bear, bugbear, caneware, carfare, Carrère, cave bear, chi-square, clayware, club chair, compare, compere, confrere, cookware, corsair, courseware, creamware, crosshair, cudbear, daymare, dead air, decare, deck chair, declare, delftware, despair, dishware, éclair, elsewhere, ensnare, eyewear, fanfare, fieldfare, firmware, flatware, Flaubert, footwear, forbear, forswear, foursquare, freeware, funfair, galère, giftware, glassware, Great Bear, groupware, Gruyère, guard hair, hardware, health care, hectare, high chair, horsehair, hot air, impair, infare, Khmer, Kildare, knitwear, life-care, light air, longhair, loungewear, Mayfair, menswear, meunière, midair, mohair, Molière, neckwear, nightmare, no fair, outstare, out-there, outwear, playwear, plein air, plowshare, Poor Clare, Port Blair, portiere, premiere, prepare, pushchair, rainwear, redware, repair, root hair, Sancerre, sea hare, shank's mare, shareware, shorthair, side chair, Sinclair, skiwear, sleepwear, slipware, sloth bear, software, somewhere, spongeware, sportswear, stemware, stoneware, sun bear, swimwear, threadbare, tinware, torchère, trouvère, tuyere, unfair, unhair, unswear, Voltaire, warfare, welfare, wheelchair, wirehair, workfare
Learn More About FOREBEAR
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: forebearer
Previous Word in the Dictionary: fore beam
All Words Near: forebear
Previous Word in the Dictionary: fore beam
All Words Near: forebear
Seen & Heard 
What made you want to look up forebear? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


See 









