FORsooth

Forsooth is an archaic English interjection meaning “in truth” or “indeed.” It is used to assert the truth of a statement or to introduce a remark with formal, ceremonial diction. In early modern English literature, notably in the plays of William Shakespeare and the works of his contemporaries, forsooth appears as a distinctive stylistic device often associated with a knightly or courtly register. It can express genuine conviction or be employed ironically to parody such rhetoric.

Etymology: The word comes from Middle English, formed from the elements for- and sooth, with sooth meaning truth. Older texts show variants such as forsoth or forsoth(e).

Usage: Historically, forsooth could convey earnest certainty; in other contexts it signals stilted, mock-solemn rhetoric. Because modern readers typically associate it with antiquated speech, it now occurs mainly in period dramas, historical novels, or jokes that evoke Elizabethan language. It is not part of contemporary standard English.

Pronunciation: It is commonly rendered as FOR-sooth, with the final th pronounced as in think.

See also: sooth; archaic English interjections; Elizabethan language.