What does forth mean?
Forth is an adverb meaning onward, forward, or outward — it signals movement ahead in space, progression in time, or the emergence of something into view or expression. It appears constantly in fixed expressions: to set forth an argument is to present it clearly; to bring forth is to produce or give rise to something; to go forth suggests departure with purpose, often carrying ceremonial or biblical resonance. The phrase 'and so on and so forth' keeps the word alive in ordinary conversation. Although its everyday use has receded in favour of plainer words like 'forward' and 'out', forth retains a formal, dignified tone that makes it valuable in legal writing, speeches, literature, and ritual language. It derives from Old English forð, meaning forward or onwards, and belongs to a family of Germanic words concerned with passage and progression, making it one of the older continuously used directional words in the language.
adverbOnward or forward in place, time, or course of action; out into view or into the open.
- Forward or onward in movement, direction, or progress.
- Out into view or into public expression (as when bringing something forth or setting ideas forth).
"The delegates set forth their proposals at the opening session."
"The explorers journeyed forth into the unmapped interior."
"She set forth her vision for the company in a memo to all staff."
Forth is so ancient that it shares its deepest root with 'ford' — the very word for crossing a river — both tracing back to a prehistoric verb meaning to cross over or lead through.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of forth
Forth descends from the Old English word forð ('forward, onward'), which developed from a Proto-Germanic root also reflected in words for river crossings such as 'ford' and its Scandinavian relative 'fjord' — all stemming from an ancient Indo-European root associated with passing through or leading across. Closely related Old English derivatives include 'forward' and 'further', which grew from the same stem. The word has remained in continuous use for over a thousand years, surviving chiefly today within compound expressions and formal registers.
Related word forms
How forth is actually used
Forth is somewhat formal and old-fashioned in everyday modern speech; it survives robustly in legal, ceremonial, literary, and idiomatic contexts such as 'set forth', 'bring forth', 'and so on and so forth', and 'put forth'. It is fully standard in British and American English.
Easily confused with forth
Forth is an adverb meaning onward or forward, while fourth refers to the ordinal number after third or the fraction one-quarter.