fortify

C2+ Topic:War & Conflict

US /ˈfɔrtəˌfaɪ/ UK /ˈfɔːtɪfaɪ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to strengthen against attack; to reinforce or invigorate

They fortified the town walls before the siege.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to strengthen against... strengthen reinforce bolster brace buttress invigorate secure

Opposites

weaken undermine sap enervate

Word family

Derived forms fortifiedfortifierfortifyingfortification

Related forms fort fortress fortitude force

Etymology

From Middle English fortifien, from Old French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificare ('to strengthen'), from Latin fortis ('strong') + facere ('to make').

fortificare Latin fortis Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

War & Conflict Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# fortify

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɔrtəˌfaɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɔːtɪfaɪ/

## Meanings
1. to strengthen against attack; to reinforce or invigorate

## Examples
- They fortified the town walls before the siege.

## Synonyms
- strengthen
- reinforce
- bolster
- brace
- buttress
- invigorate
- secure

## Antonyms
- weaken
- undermine
- sap
- enervate

## Derived Forms
- fortified
- fortifier
- fortifying
- fortification

## Related Forms
- fort
- fortress
- fortitude
- force

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: fortificare
- Root: fortis

## Etymology
From Middle English fortifien, from Old French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificare ('to strengthen'), from Latin fortis ('strong') + facere ('to make').

## AI Etymology
Fortify comes from Middle English fortifien, from Old French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificare ('to strengthen'), from Latin fortis ('strong') + facere ('to make'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb, it means "to strengthen against attack; to reinforce or invigorate", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin fortificare and Latin fortis. Derivative forms include fortified, fortifier, fortifying, fortification; related words include fort, fortress, fortitude, force.

## Topics
- War & Conflict
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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