fortis

American  

[fawr-tis] / ˈfɔr tɪs /

adjective

1. pronounced with considerable muscular tension and breath pressure, resulting in a strong fricative or explosive sound. In stressed position (p, t, k, ch, f, th, s, sh) and sometimes (h) are fortis in English as compared with (b, d, g, j, v, th̸, z, and zh), which are lenis.

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noun

fortes plural

1. a fortis consonant.

fortis British  

/ ˈfɔːtɪs /

adjective

1. (of a consonant) articulated with considerable muscular tension of the speech organs or with a great deal of breath pressure or plosion

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noun

1. a consonant, such as English p or f , pronounced with considerable muscular force or breath pressure

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• fortes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fortis

1905–10; < Latin: strong, powerful, firm

Example Sentences

Instead they found four other known species: V. alginolyticus, V. campbellii, V. fortis and V. parahaemolyticus.

From Scientific American • Jun. 6, 2023

Derived from the Latin fortis, meaning "strong," it was the watchword of an extraordinary week.

From Time Magazine Archive

Cornelius Lucius Scipio Barbatus Gnaivod patre prognatus fortis vir sapiensque quoius forma virtutei parisuma fuit.

From History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Volume I by Dunlop, John

Re-enter, rē-en′tėr, v.t. and v.i. to enter again or anew: in engraving, to cut deeper where the aqua fortis has not bitten sufficiently.—p.adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

These writers derive it from Gael. dan, Ir. dana, fortis, audax, in reference to its strong and impetuous current.

From The River-Names of Europe by Ferguson, Robert