Forbearance
/fɔːrˈbɛərəns/noun
Patient self-control; restraint from acting or responding.
Did you know?Forbearance comes from Old English roots meaning “to bear before” or “carry oneself away from action,” so its core idea is controlled endurance, not passive weakness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bher-
“to carry, bear, or support”
Old English
OE
forberan
“to endure, restrain, or abstain from”
Middle English
ME
forberen
“to refrain from doing, tolerate, or put up with”
14th Century
English
forberance
“patient restraint or self-control”
Modern English
English
forbearance
“patient self-control; restraint from acting or responding”