forte
pronunciation
How to pronounce forte in British English:
UK [ˈfɔːteɪ]
How to pronounce forte in American English:
US [fɔːrt]
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- Noun:
- an asset of special worth or utility
- (music) with great loudness
- the stronger part of a sword blade between the hilt and the foible
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- Adjective:
- used chiefly as a direction or description in music
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- Adverb:
- used as a direction in music; to be played relatively loudly
Word Origin
- forte (n.)
- 1640s, fort, from French fort "strong point (of a sword blade)," from Middle French fort "fort, fortress" (see fort). Meaning "strong point of a person, that in which one excels," is from 1680s. Final -e- added 18c. in imitation of Italian forte "strong."
- forte (adj.)
- music instruction, "loud, loudly," from Italian forte, literally "strong," from Latin fortis "strong" (see fort). Opposed to piano.
Example
- 1. Of course churchill couldn 't check the numbers . His forte was rhetoric .
- 2. Grand strategy has never been the prime minister 's forte , but he must understand this .
- 3. If cooking is not your forte , try taking a cooking class .
- 4. Sincerity has never been mr putin 's forte , but this time his words risked being seen as a mockery of the virtues he preached .
- 5. After all , brainwashing is its forte . It threatened to shoot out the offending loudspeakers .