foray
UK[ˈfɒreɪ]US[ˈfɔːreɪ]
n
A sudden attack or movement into enemy territory, especially to obtain something; a raid.
n
A brief but vigorous attempt to become involved in a new activity or sphere.
Etymology
The word 'foray' entered English in the 14th century from the Anglo-French 'forreier', meaning 'to pillage'. This, in turn, derived from the Old French 'forrier', 'forreor' (a forager, plunderer), which was based on the Late Latin 'forrare', 'fodrare' meaning 'to forage, pillage'. The ultimate origin is the Frankish 'fōdr' (fodder, food for animals), which is related to the Old High German 'fuotar' and the Old English 'fōdor', the source of the modern English 'fodder'. The semantic logic evolved from the specific act of going out to seize fodder or supplies, to a more general military raid, and finally to its modern figurative sense of a brief initial attempt in a new field.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes in modern English spelling.
Examples
The bandits made a quick foray into the village to steal supplies.
This is the company's first foray into the smartphone market.
He made a brief foray into politics before returning to his academic career.