Added 9 October 2026
forfeit
/ˈfɔː.fɪt/ noun
In Latin: perdo Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about forfeit at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A penalty for or consequence of a misdemeanor.
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A thing forfeited; that which is taken from somebody in requital of a misdeed committed; that which is lost, or the right to which is alienated, by a crime, breach of contract, etc.
He who murders pays the forfeit of his own life.
- Something deposited and redeemable by a sportive fine as part of a game.
verb
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To suffer the loss of something by wrongdoing or non-compliance
He forfeited his last chance of an early release from jail by repeatedly attacking another inmate.
-
To lose a contest, game, match, or other form of competition by voluntary withdrawal, by failing to attend or participate, or by violation of the rules
Because only nine players were present, the football team was forced to forfeit the game.
- To be guilty of a misdeed; to be criminal; to transgress.
adjective
Origin
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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)