fortify

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English fortifien,^[2][3][4] borrowed from Middle French fortifier,^[5][3][6][7] from Late Latin fortificō (“to strengthen, make strong”),^[5][8][9] formed from fortis (“strong”) and the combining form of faciō (“to make”),^[8][9] the source of the suffix -fy.^[6][7] The Anglo-Norman verb is recorded from 1371, meaning to strengthen, confirm or reinforce, and to fortify a place.^[10] Etymonline derives the Latin verb faciō from Proto-Indo-European *dhe- (“to set, put”).^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

To increase the effect of a medicine: probably before 1425, in a translation of Guy de Chauliac's Grande Chirurgie, according to Barnhart; the sense "to provide with fortifications" follows in 1433.^[5][8] The OED's first record is from 1436.^[6]

Semantic evolution

The military sense, to provide a town with walls and defences, is from the mid-15th century,^[8][5] and the general sense "to strengthen structurally" appears before 1500, in Merlin.^[6] From the late 15th century the verb was used of strengthening a person mentally or morally,^[8][6] while from about 1449, in Pecock, it was used of supporting or confirming a statement.^[6] From 1470, in Malory, to about 1725 it also meant to reinforce with men or resources, or to garrison a fortress.^[6][11] Johnson (1755) defined it first as "to strengthen against attacks by walls or works" and second as "to confirm; to encourage".^[12] The modern technical senses came late: strengthening wine or spirits with alcohol from 1880, in an Act of Parliament,^[6][8] and adding vitamins or other nutrients to food from 1939–40.^[8][6]

Timeline

• before 1425 – to increase the effect of a medicine.^[5][8]
• 1433 – to provide with fortifications.^[5]
• c. 1449 – to confirm or support a statement.^[6]
• 1470 – to reinforce with men or resources; to garrison (obsolete by 1725).^[6]
• 1477 – to strengthen mentally or morally.^[6][8]
• before 1500 – to strengthen structurally; to give the body strength.^[6]
• 1880 – to add alcohol to wine or other drinks.^[6][8]
• 1939 – to add nutrients to food.^[8] The OED's first quotation is from 1940.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To make a place defensible with walls, trenches or other works: The garrison fortified the hilltop.^[13][3]
2. To strengthen physically, mentally or morally: She fortified herself with a hot drink before the walk home.^[13][6]
3. To strengthen or reinforce a structure.^[13][6]
4. To add spirits to wine, as in making sherry or port.^[13][6][11]
5. To add vitamins or other nutrients to food.^[6][11]
6. (archaic) To confirm or support a statement.^[11][6]

Word family

• fortifiable
• fortifier
• fortifyingly
• refortify
• underfortify

Related words

• fort
• fortification
• fortress
• fortitude
• comfort
• effort
• -fy

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
3. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
5. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
10. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
11. ^ a b c d Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
12. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
13. ^ a b c d Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins