forgotten
UK[fəˈɡɒtn̩]US[fərˈɡɑːtn̩]
adj
no longer remembered or known by people
v
(past participle of 'forget') to be unable to remember something; to fail to remember to do something
Etymology
the word 'forgotten' originates from the old english verb 'forgietan', meaning "to lose hold of, fail to remember." this old english term is a compound, formed from the intensive prefix 'for-' (which could signify completion, destruction, or abstention) and the verb 'gietan' (meaning "to grasp, get"). the sense evolution moved from the physical act of "losing one's grip on" to the mental act of "losing one's memory of." the '-en' ending is the standard past participle suffix for strong verbs in english, which has been retained in this irregular form. thus, the journey from a literal notion of "getting away from one's grasp" to the abstract concept of a memory slipping from the mind's hold is complete.
Analysis
the word 'forgotten' is a past participle form of the verb 'forget'. it is not productively segmented into separate morphemes in modern english without altering the spelling. the base verb 'forget' itself derives from old english 'forgietan'.
Examples
the ancient city had been forgotten for centuries until its rediscovery by archaeologists.
i have completely forgotten where i put my keys.
he is a forgotten hero of the scientific revolution.