fortis - Meaning, Image, Examples & Etymology - Learn English Visually

Post

fortis

|for-tis|

🇺🇸

/ˈfɔːrtɪs/

🇬🇧

/ˈfɔːtɪs/

strong, forceful

Etymology

Etymology Information

'fortis' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'fortis', where the root meant 'strong' or 'brave'.

Historical Evolution

'fortis' entered English as a loanword from Latin via scholarly and linguistic use (chiefly from descriptions of Latin and later in phonetic terminology), becoming established as a technical term in phonetics in modern linguistic literature.

Meaning Changes

Initially it meant 'strong' or 'brave' in Latin; in English it retained that classical sense rarely, and primarily developed a specialized meaning in phonetics describing 'consonants produced with greater force'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a consonant described in phonetics as produced with greater muscular tension and breath force (often voiceless); contrasted with 'lenis.'

In that dialect, linguists classify /p/ as a fortis while /b/ is a lenis.

Synonyms

strong (consonant)tense (consonant)

Antonyms

lenislax (consonant)weak

Adjective 1

(historical/Latin) Strong; brave. (Rarely used in general English except in reference to the original Latin sense.)

The inscription used the Latin adjective fortis to praise the soldier.

Synonyms