Forte

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /fÉ”t/ in the sense "strength, talent"
• US IPA: /fɔɹt/, /foʊɹt/

From French fort ("strong"), from Latin fortis ("strong").

Dictionary.com

Full definition of forte

Noun

1. A strength or talent.He writes respectably, but poetry is not his forte.
2. The strong part of a sword blade, close to the hilt.

Usage notes

Traditionally, forte ("strength, talent") was a one-syllable word, like its French etymon. Perhaps due to confusion with forte ("loudly"), a two-syllable pronunciation also came into common use. Both pronunciations are now standard.

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈfÉ”.teɪ/
• US IPA: /ˈfɔɹ.teɪ/

From Italian forte ("strong").

Adjective

1. (music) Loud. Used as a dynamic directive in sheet music in its abbreviated form, "f.", to indicate raising the volume of the music. (Abbreviated in musical notation with an f, the Unicode character 1D191.)This passage is forte, then there's a diminuendo to mezzo piano.

Adverb

1. (music) Loudly.The musicians played the passage forte.

Related terms

• fortepiano
• fortissimo
• fortississimo
• mezzo forte
• pianoforte

Noun

1. A passage in music to be played loudly; a loud section of music.This forte marks the climax of the second movement.

Anagrams

• fetor
• ofter