forum n.

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "door, doorway." The base form is frequently in dual or plural, leading to speculation that houses of the original Indo-Europeans had doors with two swinging halves.

It forms all or part of: afforest; deforest; door; faubourg; foreclose; foreign; forensic; forest; forfeit; forum; hors d'oeuvre; thyroid.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit duárah "door, gate;" Old Persian duvara- "door;" Lithuanian dùrys (plural); Greek thyra "door;" Latin foris "out-of-doors, outside;" Gaulish doro "mouth;" Old Prussian dwaris "gate;" Russian dver' "a door;" Old English dor, German Tür "door," Gothic dauro "gate."

1590s, "open assembly place, chief public square and marketplace of a town; popular political assembly held in such a place," from Greek agora "an assembly of the People" (as opposed to a council of Chiefs); "the place of assembly; a marketplace" (the typical spot for such an assembly), from ageirein "to assemble" (from PIE root *ger- "to gather").

The Greek word also could mean "public speaking," and "things to be sold." For sense, compare Roman forum.

"pertaining to or suitable for courts of law," 1650s, with -ic + stem of Latin forensis "of a forum, place of assembly," related to forum "public place" (see forum). Later used especially in sense of "pertaining to legal trials," as in forensic medicine (1845). Related: Forensical (1580s).