FreeScrabbleDictionary

fortress

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
11
Words With Friends
11
Letters
8
Pronunciation
/ˈfoɹ.tɹɪs/
See all 4 pronunciations
/ˈfoɹ.tɹɪs/ · /ˈfoɹ.tɹəs/ · /ˈfɔː.tɹəs/ · /ˈfɔ(ː)ɹ.tɹəs/

Definition of fortress

3 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; for example a fort, a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.
    “Like the Mesolithic age of 10,000-8000 B.C., the period 6000-4000 B.C. seems to be one of the fall of fortresses and the rise of pastoral nomadism.”
See all 3 definitions

noun

  1. A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; for example a fort, a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.
    “Like the Mesolithic age of 10,000-8000 B.C., the period 6000-4000 B.C. seems to be one of the fall of fortresses and the rise of pastoral nomadism.”
  2. A position that, if obtained by the weaker side, will prevent penetration by the opposing side, generally achieving a draw.

verb

  1. (transitive)To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard, to fortify.
    “Honour and Beautie in the owners armes, / Are weaklie fortreſt from a world of harmes.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

Early 14 c., from Old French forteresce, forteresse, forterece (“strong place, fortification”), variant of fortelesse, from Medieval Latin fortalitia, from Latin fortis (“strong”) (see fort) + -itia, added to adjectives…

See full etymology

Early 14 c., from Old French forteresce, forteresse, forterece (“strong place, fortification”), variant of fortelesse, from Medieval Latin fortalitia, from Latin fortis (“strong”) (see fort) + -itia, added to adjectives to form nouns of quality or condition. French -ess, from Latin -itia is also in words such as duress, prowess, largesse and richesse. For change of medial -l- to -r- in Old French, compare orne (“elm”) from ulmus; chartre from cartula and chapitre from capitulum. First attested in the 12th century.

Anagrams of fortress

2 plays · some not in Scrabble

Words you can make from fortress

132 playable · top: FORESTS (10 pts)

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7-letter words

5 words

6-letter words

18 words

5-letter words

26 words

4-letter words

39 words

3-letter words

30 words

2-letter words

13 words

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