fortress

The story

1. Latin · derived fromfortis“strong”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromfortalitia
3. Old French · derived fromforteresce, forteresse, forterece“strong place, fortification”
4. English todayfortress

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.

Words from the same roots