forfeit

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈfɔɹ.fɪt/ UK /ˈfɔː.fɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #12997

Meanings

1

verb
To lose or give up something as a penalty for a mistake or wrongdoing.

You have forfeited your right to choose your own successor.
2

verb
To lose a game or contest by withdrawing or failing to take part.

With only nine players present, the team was forced to forfeit the game.
3

noun
A penalty in which something is lost or given up.

The contract specified a forfeit if the work was not completed on time.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to lose or give up... forgogive upsurrender waive

2 verb · to lose a game or contest... surrender

3 noun · a penalty in which... forfeiture

Word family

Forms forfeitedforfeitingforfeits

Derived forms forfeitabilityforfeitableforfeiterforfeitsforfeiturenonforfeitednonforfeitingnonforfeitureunforfeitunforfeited

Etymology

From Middle English forfait from ca. 1300, from Old French forfait (“crime”), originally the past participle of forfaire (“to transgress”), and Medieval Latin foris factum. During the 15th century, the sense shifted from the crime to the penalty for the crime.

forfait Middle English foris factum la-med *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# forfeit

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɔɹ.fɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɔː.fɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 12997

## Meanings
1. To lose or give up something as a penalty for a mistake or wrongdoing.
2. To lose a game or contest by withdrawing or failing to take part.
3. A penalty in which something is lost or given up.

## Examples
- You have forfeited your right to choose your own successor.
- With only nine players present, the team was forced to forfeit the game.
- The contract specified a forfeit if the work was not completed on time.

## Derived Forms
- forfeitability
- forfeitable
- forfeiter
- forfeits
- forfeiture
- nonforfeited
- nonforfeiting
- nonforfeiture
- unforfeit
- unforfeited

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: forfait
- Root: foris factum
- Root: *dʰeh₁-

## Etymology
From Middle English forfait from ca. 1300, from Old French forfait (“crime”), originally the past participle of forfaire (“to transgress”), and Medieval Latin foris factum. During the 15th century, the sense shifted from the crime to the penalty for the crime.

## AI Etymology
Forfeit is from Middle English forfait from ca. 1300, from Old French forfait (“crime”), originally the past participle of forfaire (“to transgress”), and Medieval Latin foris factum. During the 15th century, the sense shifted from the crime to the penalty for the crime. In present-day use, it can mean to lose or give up something as a penalty for a mistake or wrongdoing, or to lose a game or contest by withdrawing or failing to take part. Derived formations include forfeitability, forfeitable, forfeiter, forfeits, forfeiture.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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