3 syllables: for, ti, tude. Stress on for.
FAWR-tit-ood
/ˈfɔɹtɪˌtud/
fortitude is pronounced FAWR-tit-ood (/ˈfɔɹtɪˌtud/). It has three syllables (for-ti-tude), with the stress on "for". Fortitude refers to mental or emotional strength in facing adversity; it denotes resilience, perseverance, and determination. It combines endurance with courage, enabling steady effort despite difficulties, pain, or fear. In usage, it often describes a steadfast quality rather than a single act or moment of bravery.
Fortitude refers to mental or emotional strength in facing adversity; it denotes resilience, perseverance, and determination. It combines endurance with courage, enabling steady effort despite difficulties, pain, or fear. In usage, it often describes a steadfast quality rather than a single act or moment of bravery.
"Her fortitude kept her going through the long, grueling ordeal."
"The team's fortitude under pressure impressed the coach and fans alike."
"Even after repeated failures, his fortitude never wavered."
Pronounce it as FOR-ti-tude with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈfɔːr.təˌtud/ or /ˈfɔːr.tɪˌtjuːd/ depending on accent; UK /ˈfɔː.tɪ.tjuːd/; AU /ˈfɔː.tɪ.tjuːd/. The key is a clear first syllable with an open back vowel, a schwa-like or reduced second syllable, and a light, affricate-like final, ensuring the ending -tude is crisp rather than dragging. Mouth positions: start with an open jaw for 'for', mid tongue for 'ti', and a light 'tude' with the tongue just behind the upper teeth.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable instead of the first; 2) Slurring the middle vowel so it sounds like 'fort-uh-tude' instead of 'FOR-ti-tude'; 3) Not differentiating the final -tude, letting it sound like 'tud' rather than 'tjuːd' in some accents. Correction: emphasize the first syllable with a clear 'or' vowel, insert a light, unstressed middle 'ti' or 'tɪ', and finish with a crisp 'tjuːd' or 'tud' depending on accent—practice with minimal pairs like 'forte/ fortitude' to anchor the final cluster.
In US English, you’ll often hear /ˈfɔərˌtuːd/ or /ˈfɔːr.təˌtjuːd/, with a rounding of the /ɔː/ and a smoother coupling to the final /d/. UK tends to articulate /ˈfɔː.tɪ.tjuːd/ with a clearer 'tjuːd' in final, and Australian often follows UK patterns but with a slightly flatter vowel; the rhoticity is less pronounced in non-rhotic accents, so the r may be weaker in US rhotic forms. Overall, the primary stress remains on the first syllable, but the middle vowel varies from /ə/ to /ɪ/ and the final cluster shifts between /tjuːd/ and /tɪd/ depending on speed and register.
Difficult due to the three-syllable sequence with a stressed first syllable, a mid‑vowel that reduces in speed, and a final consonant cluster that can verge on /tjuːd/ or /tɒd/. The combination of /f/ plus rounded /ɔː/ followed by a syllabic /t/ before a palatalized ending makes it easy to misplace the stress or blur the middle vowel. Focus on a crisp onset for 'for', a light but distinct 'ti', and a precise 'tude' ending to keep syllable boundaries clear.
Fortitude features a clear onset consonant cluster 'fr-' followed by a strong open vowel, then a nearly schwa-like middle 'ti' and a precise 'tjuːd' or 'tud' ending. Keep your tongue high for /ɔː/, avoid rounding too aggressively into /ɔɚ/; aim for a steady airflow and avoid glottal stops before the final /d/. Practicing with a mirror to ensure lip rounding and jaw openness helps ensure the first syllable is strong and the final cluster lands with clarity.
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Fortitude originates from the Latin fortitūdō, from fortis ‘strong’ + -tūdō (suffix forming abstract nouns). The root fort- appears in fortis ‘strong’ and fortūna ‘fortune, chance’, but in fortitude it evolves to express the quality of strength. The term entered English via Old French fortotude or fortitude in the Middle Ages, maintaining the sense of moral and bodily strength in adversity. Historically, fortitude has been deployed in philosophical, religious, and military texts to emphasize steadfastness in struggle, aligning with classical virtues such as fortitudo in Latin literature and the Christian concept of perseverance through trials. Over time, its meaning broadened from raw physical strength to a broader psychological endurance—courage under stress, resilience in the face of hardship, and the sustained inner resolve required to persevere toward long-term goals.
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Words that rhyme with "fortitude"
-ude sounds
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