How do you pronounce fortitude?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfoɹ.tɪˌtud/.

Where does fortitude come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

fortitude

/ˈfoɹ.tɪˌtud/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.15 in modern English

Syllables: for-ti-tude
IPA: /ˈfoɹ.tɪˌtud/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Physical strength.

Archaic; Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"I am able now (me thinkes) / (Out of a Fortitude of Soule, I feele) / To endure more Miſeries, […]"
"I shall soon have need for all my fortitude, as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter."
"She [the ship] may be saved by your efforts, by your resource and fortitude bearing up against the heavy weight of guilt and failure."
"Mitt Romney […] charges that [Barack] Obama is an appeaser who apologizes for America, lacks fortitude and is "tentative, indecisive, timid and nuanced.""
"The proper fans might also expend time—about twenty hours—trying to visit every Tube station as quickly as possible. […] But to visit every station in record time—which people have been attempting since at least 1960—requires real fortitude. You must get up before dawn, you must drink or eat almost nothing, so niggardly is the Underground with toilet provision."
"The Turke with moſt mighty preparation makes for Cipres. Othello, the fortitude of the place, is beſt knowne to you, […]"

Etymology

From Middle English fortitude, from Old French, from Latin fortitūdō (“bravery, strength”), from fortis (“brave, strong”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: *bʰerǵʰ-, fortitude, -, fortitūdō

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfoɹ.tɪˌtud/
British English: /ˈfɔː.tɪˌtjuːd/

Usage

Inflected Forms

fortitudes (plural)

Phrases

intestinal fortitude testicular fortitude

Frequently Paired Words

forte fortify fortitudinous

Synonyms

inner strength moxie mettle resolve intestinal fortitude toughness