*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of force

From Middle English force, fors, forse, from Old French force, from Late Latin fortia, a noun derived from the neuter plural of Latin fortis (“strong”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to rise, high, hill”

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

Ability to influence; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigour; might; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect. · The generalized abstraction of this concept. · A particular form or type of force. · A metaphysical and ubiquitous power from the fictional Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. See usage note.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English force, fors, forse, from Old French force, from Late Latin fortia, a noun derived from the neuter plural of Latin fortis (“strong”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to rise, high, hill”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Root classification mention*bʰerǵʰ-ine-pro
  • Inherited-form mentionforceenm
  • Derivation mentionforcefro
  • Derivation mentionfortisla · strong
  • Derivation mention*bʰerǵʰ-ine-pro · to rise, high, hill

This page abbreviates 16 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    }
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      "force",
      "force#Middle_English"
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      "fors",
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      "forse#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "force",
      "force#Old_French"
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        "A particular form or type of force.",
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To make someone or something do something, often regardless of their will. · To constrain by force; to overcome the limitations or resistance of. · To drive (something) by force, to propel (generally + prepositional phrase or adverb). · To cause to occur (despite inertia, resistance etc.); to produce through force.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English forcen, from Old French forcier, from Late Latin *fortiāre, from Latin fortia.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

This page abbreviates 10 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    },
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
noun

A waterfall or cascade.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English force, forz, fors, from Old Norse fors (“waterfall”), from Proto-Germanic *fursaz (“waterfall”). Cognate with Icelandic foss (“waterfall”), Norwegian foss (“waterfall”), Swedish fors (“waterfall”). Doublet of foss.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionforceenm
  • Derivation mentionforsnon · waterfall
  • Derivation mention*fursazgem-pro · waterfall
  • Cognate mentionfossis · waterfall
  • Cognate mentionfossno · waterfall
  • Cognate mentionforssv · waterfall
  • Doublet mentionfossen
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗
verb

To stuff; to lard; to farce.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English forcen, forsen, a use of force, with confusion of farce (“to stuff”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionforcenenm
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "force#Etymology 1"
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for force →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-Zm9yY2U