fortune
/ˈfɔːrtʃən/
noun
Origin
Latin
Fortuna — The Roman goddess of luck and fate
Overview
Meaning Now
- Chance or luck as an arbitrary force affecting human affairs.
- A large amount of wealth or assets.
- The success or failure of a person or enterprise.
Literal older meaning
fate or chance
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
fortune
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
In the Middle Ages, the concept of Fortune was frequently represented by the 'Wheel of Fortune' (Rota Fortunae), a symbol of the capricious nature of fate where kings could be elevated to power and cast down to poverty in a single turn.
Evolution
- 1st century BCE, Latin
Fortūna
“Goddess of chance”
Derived from 'fors' (chance/luck).
- 12th century, Old French
fortune
“Luck, destiny”
Adopted into Middle English following the Norman Conquest.
- 14th century, Middle English
fortune
“Chance, luck, or condition of life”
Commonly personified as a wheel (Rota Fortunae).
Connections
Word parts
fortun-
root
luck/fate
-e
ending
nominal suffix
Related across languages
French
luck, wealth
Italian
fortuna
luck
Spanish
fortuna
luck
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Related to fortune
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.