WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
for•tis
(fôr′tis),USA pronunciation adj., n., pl. -tes (-tēz).USA pronunciation [Phonet.]
adj.
n.
adj.
- Phoneticspronounced 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, ᵺ, z, and zh), which are lenis. Cf. lenis.
n.
- Phoneticsa fortis consonant.
- Latin: strong, powerful, firm
- 1905–10
'fortis' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aqua fortis
- comfort
- effort
- force
- fort
- fortalice
- forte
- fortify
- fortissimo
- fortress
- fortuitous
- hard
- lenis
- nitric acid
- sharp