Wordwyrt

fortify

/ˈfɔːtɪˌfaɪ/FAWR-tih-figh
/ˈfɔɹtɪˌfaɪ/FAWR-tih-figh

Meaningto make strong

Common meaning: to make stronger, especially against attack

Journey through time

  1. Latinfortis‘strong, brave’
  2. Old Frenchfortifiersource
  3. Englishfortify‘to make stronger, especially against attack’ · today

fort also in: fortfortitudeforceeffortcomfort

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

Roots

  • fortis Latin “strong, brave”

Related words

comforteffortenforceforcefortfortitudefortress

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