Fortify

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈfɔːtɪfaɪ/

Definitions

1. To strengthen or reinforce something, either by adding defensive structures to a location or by increasing the nutritional or structural integrity of a substance
2. To enhance the strength or security of a place through defensive improvements or to increase the resilience and nutritional value of a material
3. To bolster the defenses of a site by constructing fortifications or to improve a substance's strength and nourishment

Etymology: "Fortify" carries a Latin core that still shows in its sense of firmness. Latin "fortis" meant "strong" or "powerful," and the Late Latin verb "fortificare" built on it by adding a causative element, so the word meant roughly "to make strong." That Latin verb passed into Old French as "fortifier," and English borrowed it in the Late Middle Ages, when it was used for strengthening a castle or army against attack. The sense of "strengthening" a person or thing, not just a stronghold, came early too. Medieval English writers used the word to mean aiding or supporting someone, and to improve or increase the efficacy of something. That broader meaning is why the word can now describe food enriched with vitamins as easily as a walled town.

Synonyms: strengthen, secure, reinforce, bolster, support

Antonyms: weaken, diminish, undermine, impair