fortitude

/ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/

//ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"fortitude" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fortitude” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,836. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,836
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fortitude · fortitude · English

fortitude · rank #23,836 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #23,836
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH formality

Nearest frequency peer: formality (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “fortitude”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “fortitude” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for fortitude
PropertyValue
Headwordfortitude
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#23,836
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fortitude” sits in English frequency

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).fortitudelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “formality” (#23,835), “fouls” (#23,837), “footy” (#23,834). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around fortitude (IPA /ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #23,836 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for fortitude, with forms such as "ffortitude", "forittude", and "forrtitude". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English fortitude, from Old French, from Latin fortitūdō (“bravery, strength”), from fortis (“brave, strong”). The correct English form is fortitude, spelled F-O-R-T-I-T-U-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.
  2. 2
    Physical strength.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how fortitude appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I am able now (me thinkes) / (Out of a Fortitude of Soule, I feele) / To endure more Miſeries, […]
  2. I shall soon have need for all my fortitude, as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter.

Etymology

From Middle English fortitude, from Old French, from Latin fortitūdō (“bravery, strength”), from fortis (“brave, strong”).

This word in other languages

fortaleza(Español)fortitude(Français)Standhaftigkeit(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffortitude
  • forittude
  • forrtitude
  • fortitdue
  • fortittude
  • fortitudde
  • fortitued
  • fortiutde
  • forttitude
  • forttiude
  • fotritude
  • frotitude
  • ofrtitude

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fortitude - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ffortitude1forittude2forrtitude1fortitdue2fortittude1fortitudde1fortitued2fortiutde2
Edit distance from "fortitude"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fortitude"?
"fortitude" is spelled F-O-R-T-I-T-U-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/.
What does "fortitude" mean?
As a noun, "fortitude" means: Mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.
What are common misspellings of "fortitude"?
Common misspellings include "ffortitude", "forittude", "forrtitude", "fortitdue", "fortittude". The correct spelling is "fortitude".
How do you pronounce "fortitude"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fortitude" is /ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "fortitude"?
From Middle English fortitude, from Old French, from Latin fortitūdō (“bravery, strength”), from fortis (“brave, strong”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "fortitude", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

formality#23,835exchequer#23,829grievance#23,849impedance#23,867

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

glitches13 variantsHumboldt13 variantscorrugated13 variantscarcinoma13 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "fortitude". Here's where to go from here.

  • 13 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #23,836 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "F" letter cohort. F–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list