fortune

English Online Dictionary. What means fortune‎? What does fortune mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English fortune, from Old French fortune, from Latin fortuna (“fate, luck”). The plural form fortunae meant “possessions”, which also gave fortune the meaning of “riches”.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːt͡ʃuːn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfoɹt͡ʃun/, /-t͡ʃən/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)t͡ʃuːn, -ɔː(ɹ)tʃən
• Hyphenation: for‧tune

Noun

fortune (countable and uncountable, plural fortunes)

1. Destiny, especially favorable.

   Synonyms: doom, fate; see also Thesaurus:fate
2. A prediction or set of predictions about a person's future provided by a fortune teller.
3. A small slip of paper with wise or vaguely prophetic words printed on it, baked into a fortune cookie.
4. The arrival of something in a sudden or unexpected manner; chance; accident.

   Synonyms: hap, luck; see also Thesaurus:luck
5. Good luck.

   Synonyms: fortuity; see also Thesaurus:good luck

   Antonyms: doom, fate, misfortune
6. One's wealth; the amount of money one has, especially if it is vast.

   Synonyms: riches; see also Thesaurus:wealth

7. A large amount of money.

Derived terms

Related terms

• fortuitous
• fortuity

Translations

Verb

fortune (third-person singular simple present fortunes, present participle fortuning, simple past and past participle fortuned)

1. (transitive)
   1. To provide (someone) with a fortune.
   2. To tell the fortune of (someone); to presage.
2. (intransitive, obsolete) To happen, to take place. [14th–19th c.]

Anagrams

• ten-four

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French fortune, from Old French fortune, borrowed from Latin fortūna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔʁ.tyn/

Noun

fortune f (plural fortunes)

1. fortune; fate, destiny; luck

   revers de fortune ― reversal of fortune

   la fortune sourit aux audacieux ― fortune favours the bold

   chacun est l’artisan de sa fortune ― every man is the architect of his own fortune

   faire contre mauvaise fortune bon cœur ― to grin and bear it

2. fortune, wealth

   coûter une fortune ― to cost an arm and a leg

   faire fortune ― to make a fortune

Derived terms

Further reading

• “fortune”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /forˈtu.ne/
• Rhymes: -une
• Hyphenation: for‧tù‧ne

Noun

fortune f

1. plural of fortuna

Anagrams

• funtore

Middle English

Etymology

From Old French fortune, from Latin fortuna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔrˈtiu̯n(ə)/

Noun

fortune (plural fortunes)

1. fortune (fate, chance)

Descendants

• English: fortune
  • → Welsh: ffortiwn
• Scots: fortuin

References

• “fortūne, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French fortune, borrowed from Latin fortuna.

Noun

fortune f (plural fortunes)

1. fortune (fate, chance)

Descendants

• → Dutch: fortuin
• French: fortune