forte
/ˈfoɹ.teɪ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.24 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A strength or talent; a strong point.
adv
Loudly, as a dynamic in a piece of music.
adj
Loud.
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "He writes respectably, but poetry is not his forte."
- "Between ourselves, the country is rather triste, and you have given me positively a sensation; yet my forte is not the Arcadian: however, I will do my petit possible to console you for the loss of le beau Lindor, who was my predecessor."
- "(abbreviation) f"
- "The musicians played the passage forte."
- "This passage is forte, then there's a diminuendo to mezzo piano."
- "This forte marks the climax of the second movement."
Etymology
Borrowed 1640–50; earlier fort < Middle French; disyllabic pronunciation by association with Italian forte, from Latin fortis (“strong”). Doublet of fort and fortis.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈfoɹ.teɪ/
- British English: /ˈfɔːteɪ/