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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

forever.

For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.

7 characters3 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

adv/fəˈɹɛvə(ɹ)/Received-Pronunciation/fəˈɹɛvɚ/General-American/fɚˈɛvɚ/General-American/fɔɹˈɛvɚ/General-American
  1. For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.

    not-comparable
    I shall love you forever.
  2. For a very long time, a seeming eternity.

    colloquial · excessive · not-comparable
    We had to wait forever to get inside.
    That was forever ago.
  3. Constantly or frequently.

    not-comparable
    You are forever nagging me.
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂-i Proto-Germanic *furi Proto-West Germanic *furi Old English for Middle English for English for Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiwder. Old English ā Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Germanic *in Proto-West Germanic *in Old English in Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *pérkus Proto-Germanic *ferhuzder.? Proto-Germanic *ferhwą Proto-West Germanic *ferh Old English feorh ? Old English ǣfre Middle English ever English ever univ. English forever Univerbation of for ever, from Middle English for ever, for evere. By surface analysis, for + ever. First attested in the late 14c., and first attested in the late 17c. as one word. Noun first attested in 1858.

noun/fəˈɹɛvə(ɹ)/Received-Pronunciation/fəˈɹɛvɚ/General-American/fɚˈɛvɚ/General-American/fɔɹˈɛvɚ/General-American
  1. An extremely long time.

    colloquial · countable
    I haven't seen him in forever!
    It took me forever to make up my mind.
  2. A mythical time in the future that will never come.

    colloquial · poetic · uncountable
    Sure, I'd be happy to meet with you on the 12th of forever.
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂-i Proto-Germanic *furi Proto-West Germanic *furi Old English for Middle English for English for Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiwder. Old English ā Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Germanic *in Proto-West Germanic *in Old English in Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *pérkus Proto-Germanic *ferhuzder.? Proto-Germanic *ferhwą Proto-West Germanic *ferh Old English feorh ? Old English ǣfre Middle English ever English ever univ. English forever Univerbation of for ever, from Middle English for ever, for evere. By surface analysis, for + ever. First attested in the late 14c., and first attested in the late 17c. as one word. Noun first attested in 1858.

adj/fəˈɹɛvə(ɹ)/Received-Pronunciation/fəˈɹɛvɚ/General-American/fɚˈɛvɚ/General-American/fɔɹˈɛvɚ/General-American
  1. Permanent, lasting; constant, perpetual.

    informal · not-comparable
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂-i Proto-Germanic *furi Proto-West Germanic *furi Old English for Middle English for English for Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiwder. Old English ā Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Germanic *in Proto-West Germanic *in Old English in Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *pérkus Proto-Germanic *ferhuzder.? Proto-Germanic *ferhwą Proto-West Germanic *ferh Old English feorh ? Old English ǣfre Middle English ever English ever univ. English forever Univerbation of for ever, from Middle English for ever, for evere. By surface analysis, for + ever. First attested in the late 14c., and first attested in the late 17c. as one word. Noun first attested in 1858.

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Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.