The Latin root fort means “strong.” Today we will endeavor to “strengthen” your vocabulary using minimal effort!
People have built forts since civilizations have been around to be a “strong” defense against invading enemies. Such fortresses or fortifications are built with “strong” walls so as to keep people safe within. Fort Knox, for instance, is a “strong” building keeping the United States’ supply of gold protected. Building fortresses requires a lot of effort or “strong” exertion from their builders. Sometimes fortifications have to be reinforced or made “strong” again if the walls have been weakened after a forceful or “strong” attack. And of course the “Force” in Star Wars makes its successful users “strong” beyond belief.
Breakfast cereals and other processed foods are often fortified with vitamins, making their nutritional value “stronger.” These extra vitamins hopefully make the consumer’s body comfortable or thoroughly “strong” so as to avoid discomfort, or being apart from feeling “strong.” A great deal of fortitude or “strength” of character is needed to deal with uncomfortable health problems, so it’s best to get enough vitamins to ward off sickness or disease. We all seek bodily comfort, or a thorough feeling of “strength” over that of debilitating weakness.
Did you know that the word “piano” is short for pianoforte? The word “piano” refers to a “soft” sound, and “forte” is a “strong” or “loud” sound. The pianoforte was the first keyboard instrument which had a range of volume; earlier harpsichords only had one volume! And regarding “strength” of sound, the “f” on a sheet of music stands for “forte,” which directs a musician to play the piece with a “strong” or “loud” sound; a “ff” indicates fortissimo, or playing with a very “strong” or loud sound!
Our minds have now been fortified with numerous examples of the root fort, which should make our knowledge of those words’ definitions effortless to recall as they are now a forte or “strong” point!
- fort: “strong” building
- fortress: “strong” building
- fortification: “strong” building
- effort: a putting of “strong” work forth
- reinforce: make “strong” again
- forceful: full of “strength”
- force: a “strong” power
- fortify: to make “strong”
- comfortable: being thoroughly “strong”
- discomfort: apart from being thoroughly “strong”
- fortitude: “strength” of character
- comfort: of a thoroughly “strong” feeling
- pianoforte: the soft sound and “strong” as in “loud” sound instrument
- forte: a “strong” sound
- fortissimo: a very strong “sound”
- fortified: “strengthened”
- effortless: not requiring “strength”
- forte: “strong” point in someone’s abilities