Where does “forteresse” come from?
forteresse (Middle French) comes from Old French forteresce, from Medieval Latin fortalitia, from Latin fortis, from Old Latin forctis, from Proto-Italic forktis, from Proto-Indo-European bʰerǵʰ- — to rise; high, lofty; hill, mountain.
forteresse (Middle French): fortress
Ancestry of “forteresse”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | forteresce | fortress |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | fortalitia | — |
| 3 | Latin | fortis | strong, powerful; firm, resolute, steadfast,... |
| 4 | Old Latin | forctis | strong |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | forktis | strong, robust |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰerǵʰ- | to rise; high, lofty; hill, mountain |