Fortified

How to spell fortified

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce fortified

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does fortified mean?

1. verbStrengthened or reinforced, especially against attack or weakness.
2. verbEnriched with extra nutrients, or strengthened with added alcohol.

Fortified in a sentence

• The soldiers fortified the hilltop before the enemy advanced.

• The breakfast cereal is fortified with iron and several vitamins.

• The company fortified its network after the security breach.

• Sherry is a fortified wine with brandy added during production.

Where does fortified come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin adjective fortis, which meant 'strong' or 'brave', the same root that gives us 'fort', 'force', and 'comfort'. From fortis the Latin verb fortificare was formed, literally 'to make strong', joining fortis with facere 'to make or do'. English took it in during the late 1300s through Old French fortifier, first in the military sense of building defensive walls and ramparts. Over time the meaning broadened beyond stone walls to anything strengthened, including the body strengthened by good food, which is how we get 'fortified' cereals and 'fortified' wine. The -ied ending here is simply the regular result of adding -ed to a verb ending in -y, which is the small spelling point worth remembering.

How the word is built

• fort- (from Latin fortis: strong)
• -ify (to make)
• -ed (past tense/participle)