verb

fortify

FAW-tih-feye

Fortify (verb) means to strengthen a place against attack, usually with walls or defenses. Example: “The town fortified its walls before the invasion.”

verb

To strengthen a place against attack, usually with walls or defenses.

"The town fortified its walls before the invasion."

To make someone or something mentally or physically stronger.

"A good breakfast fortified her for the long hike ahead."

To add vitamins, minerals, or alcohol to something to increase its strength or nutritional value.

"The bread is fortified with extra folic acid."

How to use fortify

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo make something stronger, whether it's a wall, a person's resolve, or a food's nutritional content.

Common pairings

fortify against fortify with vitamins fortify defenses

Word forms

fortified past tense, fortify plural, fortified plural, fortifies singular, fortify singular, fortified singular, fortifiest singular, fortifiedst singular, fortifieth singular

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Etymology

From Old French fortifier, from Latin fortis, "strong," plus the causative suffix -ficare.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for fortify

unify codify verify pacify notify purify modify qualify amplify crucify specify falsify

See all rhymes for fortify →

Frequently asked questions

What does “fortify” mean?

The word “fortify” means to strengthen a place against attack, usually with walls or defenses. In plain terms, to make something stronger, whether it's a wall, a person's resolve, or a food's nutritional content.

How do you pronounce “fortify”?

“Fortify” is pronounced FAW-tih-feye (/ˈfɔɹtəˌfaɪ/ in IPA).

How do you use “fortify” in a sentence?

Here is “fortify” used in a sentence: “The town fortified its walls before the invasion.”

What part of speech is “fortify”?

“Fortify” is a verb.

Where does the word “fortify” come from?

The word “fortify” comes from Latin. From Old French fortifier, from Latin fortis, "strong," plus the causative suffix -ficare.

How many meanings does “fortify” have?

“Fortify” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to strengthen a place against attack, usually with walls or defenses.