Pronunciation : fawrt & fáwr-tày 1. something that somebody is particularly good at 2. the strongest section of a sword's blade, between the middle and the hilt 3. something at which a person excels Usage Note : The word forte, coming from French fort, should properly be pronounced with one syllable, like the English word fort. Common usage, however, prefers the two-syllable pronunciation (fôr'tā') which has been influenced possibly by the music term forte borrowed from Italian. In a recent survey a strong majority of the Usage Panel, 74 percent, preferred the two-syllable pronunciation. The result is a delicate situation: speakers who are aware of the origin of the word may wish to continue to pronounce it as one syllable but at an increasing risk of puzzling their listeners. Mid-17th century - Via French fort - strong specialty, strong point, strong suit, long suit failing • The orchestra's forte was playing Mozart concertos. • You know what my forte is, Gilbert--the fanciful, the fairylike, the pretty. • I don't know what her forte is, but it's not music. • Cooking is not really my forte. • The construction of a fable seems by no means the forte of our modern poetical writers. • forte : Noun meaning fencing Enjoy this list and then get around for preparing your own list of words. There is no better way of boosting your words power. The most effective way to build your vocabulary is described in the page on Word Power. Educational research has discovered that your I.Q. is intimately related to your Word Power. Take a standard Vocabulary test and then an intelligent test, the result in both will be substantially the same. The more extensive your vocabulary, the better your chances of success, other things being equal- success in attaining your educational goals, success in moving ahead in your business or professional career, success in achieving your intellectual potential.
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