English word forgive comes from Proto-Germanic *gebaną, Old English giefan (To give.), Proto-Germanic *firi- (Expresses intensive or perfective meaning. Through, across.), Old English for-
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *gebaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| giefan | Old English (ang) | To give. |
| *firi- | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Expresses intensive or perfective meaning. Through, across. |
| for- | Old English (ang) | Forming verbs from verbs with various senses especially ‘wrongly, away from, astray, abstention, prohibition, perversion, destruction’. Used to create intensified adjectives and verbs from other adjectives and verbs, with the sense of completely or fully. Compare Modern English use of up. Very. |
| ġiefan | Old English (ang) | |
| *fragebaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To forgive. To give, grant. |
| forgiefan | Old English (ang) | To forgive (in translation of Latin perdonare). To give up, bestow, grant. |
| forġiefan | Old English (ang) | |
| forȝiven | Middle English (enm) | To forgive. |
| forgive | English (en) | (intransitive) To accord forgiveness.. (transitive) To pardon; to waive any negative feeling or desire for punishment, retribution, or compensation. |