fortis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfɔr.tɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɔr.tis]^[1]

Forms

fortis (neuter forte, comparative fortior, superlative fortissimus, adverb fortiter); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1] The Twelve Tables and Festus have forctis, forctus and horctus, and the ablative forte occurs in Gellius.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *forkti-, continued by Old Latin forctis and the dialectal horctus, which Festus glosses as “good”.^[4][1][2] Its further origin is disputed, since neither form nor meaning is specific enough to decide.^[4] De Vaan finds farcīre “to stuff” the best match within Latin, from a Proto-Indo-European *bʰorg-to- “stuffed”, and as an alternative the Indo-Iranian and Baltic words for “to make firm”, if they continue *dʰerǵʰ-, which the TLL also favours, comparing Sanskrit दृढ (dr̥ḍhá-, “firm”) and Lithuanian diržti (“to harden”).^[4][5][1] Walde and Hofmann, Pokorny and Etymonline connect it with Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“high, elevated”), the root of Sanskrit बृहत् (br̥hánt-, “great”) and Old Irish brí (“hill”), which de Vaan says does not explain the meaning.^[4][6][7][1] Georges thought of fīrmus and frētus, and Isidore of Seville derived it from ferre, “because it bears adversity”.^[8][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is attested in the Twelve Tables, in the old form forctis,^[4][9] and Cato says that farmers breed the strongest men and the most energetic soldiers.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Physically it meant strong, hardy or vigorous, of people, animals, plants and things, in robust health, of strapping build, in the prime of manhood (fortior aetas), and, of winds, light, sounds, wines and medicines, strong or potent.^[2][3] Of cities it meant powerful, of arguments convincing, of remedies drastic, of speech vigorous and bold, and Terentianus Maurus even calls the letter s the strongest.^[2]

Its commonest sense became moral: brave, resolute, courageous, as in Terence's fortis fortuna adiuvat, “fortune helps the brave”, and of soldiers gallant or decorated for valour; colloquially it meant honourable or decent.^[2][3] Medieval Latin used it for powerful, big or bulky, for rich and for severe, and as a noun for a hero, a ruler, a coin of full weight, a fortress and an important matter.^[10][11][9] It survives as French fort, Italian and Portuguese forte, Spanish fuerte and Romanian foarte “very”,^[1] and English fort (mid-15th century) and forte (1640s) come through French.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables have forctis.^[4][9]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a strapping woman and of a brave man.^[2][9]
• 234–149 BC – Cato says farming breeds the strongest men.^[2][9]
• 190–159 BC – Terence has fortis fortuna adiuvat.^[2][9]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of vigorous oratory and of a brave army.^[2][9]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a strong proof.^[2][9]
• first half of the 9th century – Hrabanus Maurus uses it as a noun.^[9]
• mid-15th century – English Fort is borrowed into English through French.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Strong, robust, vigorous; in good health; of strapping build; in the prime of manhood.^[2][3]
2. Stout, tough, of things; strong, of winds, light or sounds; potent, of wines or medicines.^[2]
3. Powerful, of cities; convincing, of proofs; drastic, of remedies; vigorous, of speech.^[2]
4. Brave, courageous, resolute; gallant, decorated for valour.^[2][3]
5. (colloquial) Honourable, decent.^[2]
6. (Medieval Latin) Powerful, big, bulky; rich; severe.^[10][11][9]

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) A hero; a ruler; a coin of full weight; a fortress; an important matter.^[9]

Word family

• cōnfortō
• fortescō
• forticulus
• fortificō
• fortitūdō
• fortiusculus
• perfortiter
• praefortis
• fortia
• fortificātiō
• fortiter

Related words

• firmus
• English fort
• English force
• English effort

Usage notes

The Oscan adverb fortis on the Tabula Bantina has been read as “rather” or “more strongly”, and de Vaan thinks the word may be borrowed from Latin.^[4][5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern; Munich: Francke
7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
10. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
11. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften