英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

former: former: [12] Former is a comparative form based on Middle English forme ‘first (in time or order)’, on the analogy of the superlative foremost [16] (which was originally formost [12]; the modern spelling came about through association with fore and most). Forme itself goes back to Old English forma, which was a descendant of a prehistoric Germanic superlative from derived from *fora ‘before’ (whence also English first, for, and fore). So untangling the suffixal accretions of centuries, former means etymologically ‘more most before’.
=> first, for, fore, primary
former (adj.): "earlier in time," mid-12c., comparative of forme "first, earliest in time or order," from Old English forma "first," from Proto-Germanic *fruma-, *furma-, from PIE *pre-mo-, suffixed (superlative) form of root *per- (1) "forward, through; before; first" (see per). Probably patterned on formest (see foremost); it is an unusual case of a comparative formed from a superlative (the Old English -m is a superlative suffix). As "first of two," 1580s.
former (n.): "one who gives form," mid-14c., agent noun from form (v.). The Latin agent noun was formator.
formerly (adv.): "in times past," 1580s, from former (adj.) + -ly (2). A Middle English word for this was andersith "formerly, at former times" (early 14c.).
informer (n.): late 14c., enfourmer "instructor, teacher," native agent noun from inform and also from Old French enformeor. Meaning "one who gives information against another" (especially in reference to law-breaking) is c. 1500.
malformed (adj.): 1801, from mal- + formed, past participle of form (v.).
misinformed (adj.): mid-15c., past participle adjective from misinform.
performer (n.): 1580s, agent noun from perform (v.). Theatrical sense is from 1711.
preformed (adj.): c. 1600, from Latin praeformare or else from pre- + formed (see form (v.)). Of plastic and synthetic products, from 1918.
reformer (n.): 1540s, agent noun from reform (v.).
transformer (n.): c. 1600, "one who or that which transforms," agent noun from transform (v.). Meaning "device to reduce electrical currents" is from 1882.
unformed (adj.): early 14c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle adjective from form (v.).
uninformed (adj.): 1590s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of inform. Originally in reference to some specific matter or subject; general sense of "uneducated, ignorant" is recorded from 1640s.
unreformed (adj.): 1520s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of reform (v.).
well-informed (adj.): mid-15c., from well (adv.) + past participle of inform (v.).
conformer: "A form of a compound having a particular molecular conformation", 1960s: blend of conformational (see conformation) and isomer.