fortitude

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/ˈfɔːr.t̬ə.tuːd/
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Steady courage through danger or hardship, with an older physical-strength sense preserved mainly in historical use.
Practice using fortitude in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Readers should not copy the old physical sense of fortitude into modern prose.
  • Her fortitude helped the family endure months of uncertainty.
  • The essay treats fortitude as a virtue of courage and patience.
  • A note on the play explains fortitude as bodily strength.
  • He admired her fortitude during the long illness.

Similar words

bravery
power
strength
resolve
toughness
hardiness
courage
sturdiness
vigor
steadfastness

Meanings

Enduring courage

noun
ethics
formal
Steady mental strength that keeps someone brave and patient through danger, pain, or long hardship.

Examples

  • Her fortitude helped the family endure months of uncertainty.
  • The refugees faced winter with remarkable fortitude.
  • The essay treats fortitude as a virtue of courage and patience.
  • He admired her fortitude during the long illness.
  • The team needed fortitude after losing three early matches.
  • Moral fortitude kept her from abandoning the unpopular truth.

Similar words

courage
bravery
resolve
grit
endurance
resilience
steadfastness
mettle

Bodily strength

noun
historical
archaic
Physical strength or toughness, a sense now found mainly in older writing and historical discussion.

Examples

  • A note on the play explains fortitude as bodily strength.
  • In older English, a warrior's fortitude could mean the power of his arm.
  • The glossary marks fortitude in that passage as obsolete.
  • The editor glossed fortitude as physical strength in the margin.
  • Readers should not copy the old physical sense of fortitude into modern prose.
  • The obsolete meaning of fortitude helps explain the line about the soldier's arm.

Similar words

strength
power
might
sturdiness
toughness
vigor
brawn
hardiness

Etymology

From Middle English fortitude, from Latin fortitudo meaning strength, firmness, or bravery, from fortis meaning strong or brave.

FAQ

What does fortitude mean?

Fortitude means steady mental strength that helps someone face danger, pain, or long hardship with courage.

Is fortitude a noun?

Fortitude is a noun. It is not used as a verb.

How is fortitude different from courage?

Courage can be brief, while fortitude usually suggests courage and patience that continue over time.

Can fortitude mean physical strength?

Fortitude once meant physical strength, but that sense is now obsolete and mostly appears in older texts.

Where does fortitude come from?

Fortitude comes through Middle English from Latin fortitudo, formed from fortis, meaning strong or brave.

Is fortitude a virtue?

Fortitude is often named as a virtue in ethics and religion, where it means courage joined with endurance.

What are good synonyms for fortitude?

Good synonyms include courage, resolve, grit, endurance, resilience, and mettle.

Comments & contributions

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Solid Snail
Jul 3
Fortitude sounds like a castle name to me, which honestly fits the meaning pretty well
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Gentle Flamingo
Jul 1
i always read it as courage that has to sit there for months, not the movie kind where someone runs into danger once
1
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Fearless Sparrow
Jun 28
intestinal fortitude is mostly a jokey phrase for guts or nerve. It is not about digestion, despite how it sounds lol
1
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Lucid Eagle
Jun 27
In Catholic or old philosophy contexts, fortitude is one of the four cardinal virtues with prudence, justice, and temperance. So if you see it capitalized in a church window or art book, thats probably the frame.
2
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Brisk Narwhal
Jun 26
This word feels formal to me. If my friend got through a horrible week I would probably say grit or toughness, not fortitude, unless I was trying to sound a little grand.
3
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Autumn Falcon
Jun 23
Moral fortitude is a real collocation, and it has a bit of judgement in it. It is not just surviving pain, it is more like not folding when the easy option would be dishonest or cowardly.
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Winter Lemming
Jun 19
I would not say a fortitude. It is more like patience or courage: she showed fortitude, he had the fortitude to keep going. A fortitude sounds like a video game stat to me
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