fortition

[ fawr-tish-uhn ]

noun

1. Phonetics. a phonological process that strengthens consonant articulation at the beginnings of syllables, causing devoicing or the formation of stops.
2. Linguistics. a type of Celtic mutation that derives historically from phonological fortition.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fortition¹

fort(is) + -ition, on the model of lenition