English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːteɪ/, IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːti/ IPA^(key): /fɔːt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹteɪ/, IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹti/ IPA^(key): /fɔɹt/

Noun

forte ‎(plural fortes)

1. A strength or talent.

   He writes respectably, but poetry is not his forte.

2. The strong part of a sword blade, close to the hilt.

Usage notes

Traditionally, forte ‎(“strength, talent”) was a one-syllable word, like its French etymon. Perhaps due to confusion with forte ‎(“loudly”), a two-syllable pronunciation also came into common use.^[1]

Translations

Etymology 2

From Italian forte ‎(“strong”).^[1]

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ.teɪ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹ.teɪ/^[1]

Adjective

Forte notation.

forte ‎(comparative fortissimo, superlative fortississimo)

1. (music) Loud. Used as a dynamic directive in sheet music in its abbreviated form, "f.", to indicate raising the volume of the music. (Abbreviated in musical notation with an f, the Unicode character 1D191.)

   This passage is forte, then there's a diminuendo to mezzo piano.

Translations

Adverb

forte ‎(comparative fortissimo, superlative fortississimo)

1. (music) Loudly.

   The musicians played the passage forte.

Translations

Related terms

• fortepiano
• fortissimo
• fortississimo
• mezzo forte
• pianoforte

Noun

forte ‎(plural fortes)

1. A passage in music to be played loudly; a loud section of music.

   This forte marks the climax of the second movement.

See also

• piano

References

1. 1 2 3 4 “forte” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.

Anagrams

• fetor
• ofter

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈforte/
• Hyphenation: for‧te

Adverb

forte

1. strongly

Related terms

• forta
• forto
• malforta
• perforto

See also

• fortika

French

Adjective

forte

1. feminine singular of fort

Anagrams

• foret, forêt

Galician

Etymology

From Old Portuguese forte, from Latin fortis ‎(“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- ‎(“fort”).

Adjective

forte m, f (plural fortes)

1. strong

Italian

Etymology

From Latin fortis, fortem. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- ‎(“fort”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: fòrte, IPA^(key): /ˈfɔrte/
• Rhymes: -ɔrte

Noun

forte m ‎(invariable)

1. fort, fortress

Synonyms

• fortezza
• fortilizio
• fortino
• bicocca
• piazzaforte
• roccaforte
• ridotta

Adjective

forte m, f ‎(masculine and feminine plural forti)

1. strong
2. (linguistics) stressed

   vocali forti‎ ― stressed vowel

Synonyms

• robusto

Antonyms

• debole

Related terms

• fortemente
• fortezza
• fortificare
• forza

Latin

Etymology 1

From the ablative of fōrs ‎(“chance, luck”).

Adverb

fōrte ‎(not comparable)

1. by chance, accidentally
2. once, once upon a time
3. perhaps, perchance,
4. as luck would have it
5. as it (just so) happens/happened

Synonyms

• (by chance): fōrtuītō
• (perhaps): fōrsit, fōrsitan, fōrtasse, fōrtassis

Related terms

Etymology 2

From fōrs.

Noun

fōrte

1. ablative singular of fōrs

Etymology 3

From fortis.

Adjective

forte

1. nominative singular neuter of fortis
2. accusative singular neuter of fortis

References

• forte in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• forte in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• FORTE in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “forte”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) quite accidentally, fortuitously: temere et fortuito; forte (et) temere
    
• Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, 1st edition. (Oxford University Press)

Norman

Adjective

forte f

1. feminine singular of fort

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

forte

1. definite singular of fort
2. plural of fort

Old Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin fortis ‎(“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- ‎(“fort”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɾ.te/

Adjective

forte m, f ‎(plural fortes)

1. strong; powerful (capable of producing great physical force)
2. (of wind, water, etc.) strong; fast moving etc.
3. (of a disease or symptom) strong; severe

Descendants

• Fala: forti
• Galician: forte
• Portuguese: forte

Related terms

• fortaleza
• fortemente

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Portuguese forte, from Latin fortis ‎(“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- ‎(“fort”).

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɾ.tɨ/
• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔχt͡ʃɪ/, /ˈfɔɾt͡ʃɪ/
  • (Northeast Brazil) IPA^(key): [ˈfɔhtɪ,ˈfɔhtʲ,ˈfɔʈʲ ]

Noun

forte m (plural fortes)

1. strength (pronounced quality), strong suit
2. fortress

Adjective

forte m, f ‎(plural fortes, comparable)

1. capable of producing great force; strong; forceful

   O homem forte levantou o carro.‎

   The strong man lifted the car.

2. capable of withstanding great force; strong; durable
3. highly stimulating to the senses; intense; extreme; strong

   Senti um cheiro muito forte.‎

   I smelled a very strong odor.

4. (euphemistic) fat

Inflection