Wordwyrt

enforce

/enˈfɔːs/en-FAWRS
/ɛnˈfɔɹs/en-FAWRS

Meaningto put strength into

Common meaning: to make sure a rule is obeyed

‘in, into’ + ‘strong, brave’ → enforce

Journey through time

  1. Latinfortis‘strong, brave’
  2. Frenchenforcer
  3. Englishenforce‘to make sure a rule is obeyed’ · today

en- also in: enjoyenvoyendureenergyenzyme

forc also in: forceforteffortcomfortfortify

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin fortis ‘strong, brave’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry fortis, p. 217 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry COMFORT, p. 123 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • fortis Latin “strong, brave”

Related words

comforteffortforcefortfortifyfortitudefortress

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