fortress

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, largesse and riches. 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.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfoɹ.tɹɪs/, /ˈfoɹ.tɹəs/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔː.tɹəs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: fort‧ress
• (without the horse–hoarse merger, rhotic) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔ(ː)ɹ.tɹəs/

fortress (plural fortresses)

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.
   • 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 160:

     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. (chess) A position that, if obtained by the weaker side, will prevent penetration by the opposing side, generally achieving a draw.

• bastion, stronghold, bulwark, citadel

• fortalice, fortilice

fortress (third-person singular simple present fortresses, present participle fortressing, simple past and past participle fortressed)

1. (transitive) To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard, to fortify.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto)‎, London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC:

     Honour and Beautie in the owners armes, / Are weaklie fortreſt from a world of harmes.