forte Italian · revision 37736

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century, Proverbia que dicuntur|origins=la fortis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈfɔr.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''forte''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural forti, superlative fortissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|fortis|t=strong, brave]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The word is panromance: [[fr|fort]], [[oc|fort]], [[ca|fort]], [[es|fuerte]], [[pt|forte]] and [[sc|forte]], and [[ro|foarte]] survives as the adverb “very” (Romanian has ⟨forte⟩ only as a learned word).^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) The noun meaning “fort” is the adjective used as a noun, from the phrase ⟨luogo forte⟩ “strong place”;^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999) Sabatini–Coletti sees French [[m|fr|fort]] behind it.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Old Latin had [[m|la|forctis]] and [[m|la|horctus]], so the ancestor was [[itc-pro|*forktis]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its further origin is unclear: de Vaan weighs a link with [[m|la|farciō|t=to stuff]], from PIE ⟨*bʰorg-to-⟩ “stuffed”, against one with the verbs for “to make firm” in Indo-Iranian and Baltic, such as [[sa|दृढ|tr=dṛḍhá|t=firm, solid]], from ⟨*dʰerǵʰ-⟩;^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) Nocentini and Devoto connect it with the root of [[fermo]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'', of the last quarter of the 12th century, for a person of great physical strength.^(TLIO) DELI's earliest dates are Francis of Assisi (before 1226), for something intense or violent, and Guittone d'Arezzo (before 1294), for a strong and enduring person.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Already in the 13th century the adjective was used for moral strength and for solid things that resist blows (Bono Giamboni, before 1292), and for strong wine (Uguccione da Lodi).^(DELI 1999) The adverb, “with force; loudly”, is in Dante and Dino Frescobaldi before 1321.^(DELI 1999) As a noun, ''forte'' was a fortified place from the late 13th century, first in the feminine and in Marco Polo's ''Milione'' in the masculine.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) One's ''forte'', the thing one is best at, is in Lorenzo Magalotti in 1668.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In music ''forte'' “loud” is recorded in 1584, and it passed into German (1619), French (1705) and English (1724).^(DIFIT) English ''forte'' “strong point” is a different case: it comes from [[fr|fort]], and only its final ⟨-e⟩, added in the 18th century, imitates the Italian word.^(Etymonline) In colloquial modern Italian ''forte'' also means “great, terrific” or “funny”: ''che forte!''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – The Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'' use the adjective.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1226 – Francis of Assisi uses it for something intense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses the adverb.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Early 14th century – Marco Polo's ''Milione'' uses the noun for a fort.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1584 – The musical sense is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1668 – Lorenzo Magalotti uses the noun for one's strong point.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1724 – English ''forte'' is first recorded as a musical term.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|strong]], able to make a great physical effort: ''un ragazzo forte e robusto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Strong in character, able to bear hardship: ''Devi essere forte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Solid, resistant, hard-wearing: ''una corda forte''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # Intense, violent: ''un forte acquazzone'', ''un forte dolore alla schiena''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Powerful, having great influence or authority: ''un governo forte''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Good at something, skilled: ''È forte in matematica.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Large, considerable: ''un forte aumento dei prezzi''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(of drinks)'' Strong, high in alcohol.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Great, terrific; funny: ''Che forte tua sorella!''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(linguistics)'' [[m|en|stressed]], ''(grammar)'' strong, of a verb or declension.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Hard, with force: ''Tieniti forte!''^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ # Loudly: ''Parla più forte, non ti sento.''^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Fast: ''andare forte''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|fort]], a small fortified military work.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # One's [[m|en|forte]], strong point: ''La cucina non è il suo forte.''^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(music)'' A passage played loudly.^(DIFIT)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fortezza]]

+ * [[fortino]]

+ * [[fortemente]]

+ * [[fortore]]

+ * [[contrafforte]]

+ * [[infortire]]

+ * [[pianoforte]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fortificare]]

+ * [[forza]]

+ * [[forzare]]

+ * [[fortificazione]]

+ * [[fortilizio]]

+ * [[fortitudine]]

+ * [[fermo]]

+ * [[la|fortis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ DEI records an obsolete feminine ''forte'' “fate, chance”, a learned word, [[la|fors|alt=fors, fortis]] (compare ''fortuna''), used in the 14th century.^(DEI|1694) ''Dare man forte'' “to lend a hand” follows French ''main forte'', recorded from about 1360.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}