foremost

Etymology
From, , from , from the locative stem , + the superlative suffix , stem ultimately from. The suffix was a compound suffix, created from the rarer comparative suffix  (as in Old English ) + the regular superlative suffix  (English );  in turn is from.

Cognate with 🇨🇬, 🇨🇬. See, and Old English  for more. Partially cognate to, from 🇨🇬 + Latin superlative suffix , from 🇨🇬.

A comparative was back-formed analogically, leaving the m from  in place. Later the Old English suffix complex was conflated with the word  through folk etymology, so that the word is now interpreted as.

Adjective

 * 1) Positioned in front of (all) others in space, most forward.
 * 2) Coming before (all) others in time.
 * 3) * 1769,, The Roman History, London: S. Baker and G. Leigh et al., Volume1, Chapter16, p.254,
 * He was the best horseman, and the swiftest runner of his time. He was ever the foremost to engage, and the last to retreat;
 * ,, , in The Shorter Novels of Herman Melville, New York: Fawcett Premier, 1956, Chapter17, p.244,
 * a bright young schoolmate of his whom he had seen struck by much the same startling impotence in the act of eagerly rising in the class to be foremost in response to a testing question put to it by the master
 * 1) Of the highest rank or position; of the greatest importance; of the highest priority.
 * 2) * 1759,, The Rolliad, Canto1, in Prose on Several Occasions: Accompanied with Some Pieces in Verse, London: T. Cadel, 1787, Volume2, p.292,
 * And have I then so oft, enrag’d she cried, / My longing soul its foremost wish denied?
 * 1) * 1846,, Reception Speech at Finsbury Chapel, Moorfields, England, May12, 1846, in , New York: Miller, Orton & Mulligan, 1855, Appendix, pp.410-411,
 * Of all things that have been said of slavery to which exception has been taken by slaveholders, this, the charge of cruelty, stands foremost, and yet there is no charge capable of clearer demonstration, than that of the most barbarous inhumanity on the part of the slaveholders toward their slaves.
 * 1) * 1993,, , New Delhi: Penguin India, 1994, Section9.13, p.580,
 * She was thinking of other matters. What was foremost on her mind was Haresh’s panama hat, which (though he had doffed it) she thought exceptionally stupid.
 * 1)  Closest to the bow.
 * 1) * 1759,, The Rolliad, Canto1, in Prose on Several Occasions: Accompanied with Some Pieces in Verse, London: T. Cadel, 1787, Volume2, p.292,
 * And have I then so oft, enrag’d she cried, / My longing soul its foremost wish denied?
 * 1) * 1846,, Reception Speech at Finsbury Chapel, Moorfields, England, May12, 1846, in , New York: Miller, Orton & Mulligan, 1855, Appendix, pp.410-411,
 * Of all things that have been said of slavery to which exception has been taken by slaveholders, this, the charge of cruelty, stands foremost, and yet there is no charge capable of clearer demonstration, than that of the most barbarous inhumanity on the part of the slaveholders toward their slaves.
 * 1) * 1993,, , New Delhi: Penguin India, 1994, Section9.13, p.580,
 * She was thinking of other matters. What was foremost on her mind was Haresh’s panama hat, which (though he had doffed it) she thought exceptionally stupid.
 * 1)  Closest to the bow.
 * Of all things that have been said of slavery to which exception has been taken by slaveholders, this, the charge of cruelty, stands foremost, and yet there is no charge capable of clearer demonstration, than that of the most barbarous inhumanity on the part of the slaveholders toward their slaves.
 * 1) * 1993,, , New Delhi: Penguin India, 1994, Section9.13, p.580,
 * She was thinking of other matters. What was foremost on her mind was Haresh’s panama hat, which (though he had doffed it) she thought exceptionally stupid.
 * 1)  Closest to the bow.

Translations

 * Bulgarian:
 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin: 首先的
 * Dutch:
 * Egyptian:
 * French:
 * German:
 * Gothic: 𐍆𐍂𐌿𐌼𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃
 * Irish:
 * Old Irish: prímda
 * Italian:, più importante
 * Karakhanid: اِلْكْ
 * Latin: antīcus,
 * Polish:
 * Russian: ,
 * Sanskrit:, ,
 * Sorbian:
 * Lower Sorbian: prědny
 * Turkish:


 * Bulgarian:
 * Finnish: keulimmainen
 * Polish:
 * Russian:

Adverb

 * 1) In front, prominently forward.
 * 2) * 1820,, “,” Part1, in Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: Taylor and Hessey, p.15,
 * She saw the young Corinthian Lycius / Charioting foremost in the envious race,
 * 1) First in time.
 * 2) * c. 1618,, and , ,  London: Edward Archer, 1656, ActIII, Scene1, p.41,
 * Alwayes the worst goes foremost, so twill prove I hope
 * 1) Most importantly.
 * 1) * c. 1618,, and , ,  London: Edward Archer, 1656, ActIII, Scene1, p.41,
 * Alwayes the worst goes foremost, so twill prove I hope
 * 1) Most importantly.
 * 1) Most importantly.

Translations

 * Bulgarian:
 * Polish: ,