Reinforce

How to spell reinforce

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce reinforce

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does reinforce mean?

1. verbTo make something stronger or more secure, whether a physical structure, an argument, or a behaviour.

Reinforce in a sentence

• Steel rods reinforce the concrete in the bridge supports.

• The new figures reinforce the case for raising the budget.

Where does reinforce come from?

Language of origin: French

This word grew out of the Old French renforcer, meaning 'to strengthen again' or 'to make stronger', which combined the prefix re- (again) with enforcer (to put force into). At its root sits the Latin adjective fortis, meaning 'strong' or 'brave', the same source that gives us 'force', 'fort', and 'fortify'. English adopted the verb in the late 1500s, originally in military settings where commanders sent fresh troops to reinforce a position under pressure. From that battlefield sense it broadened to mean strengthening anything at all, from a sagging shelf to an argument or a habit. The spelling trap lives in the seam between the parts: writers often forget that re- and in- sit side by side, producing the easily missed 'rein' opening, even though the word has nothing to do with reins.

How the word is built

• re- (again)
• in- (into)
• force (strength, from Latin fortis: strong)