English → Latin
“fortunate” in Latin
fēlīxhappy, lucky, blessed, fortunate; fertile, fruitful, prosperous; auspicious, favorable, of good omen or luckfortūnōto make happy, prosper; to blessbeātushappy, (truly) happy, blessed, fortunate; prosperous, wealthy, rich; copious, sumptuousfaustusfavorable, fortunate, auspicious, prosperous, luckydexterright (relative direction), right hand; skillful; fortunate, favorablesecundussecondprosperagreeable to one's wishesbonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant; right; useful
The English word fortunate itself goes back to Latin fortūna, through fortūnātus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
fortunate
felix (ὄλβιος, as well of what brings good fortune, as day, combat, result of an undertaking, etc, , as having good fortune, of persons. In the latter sense, it is said of one who is habitually favored by fortune, and especially with reference to internal goods; e.g., Sulla felix, because he succeeded in all his undertakings; and Lysias felix, because he had continually a number of admirers): fortunatus (one favored by fortune, εὐδαίμων, denoting a person who is favored by the gods in particular circumstances or cases, also with reference to external goods; thus, Menedemus deems himself to be “omnium fortuuatissimum,” at the moment when he perceives the change of mind in his son; Vid: Ter., Heaut., 4, 8, 1): beatus (happy, μακάριος, of persons to whom no moral or physical good is wanting to render them happy; also of a condition or state; e.g., homo beatus, vita beata): faustus (of happy omen, only of things; e.g., day, omen, etc.). (The words are found in this connection and order.) faustus et felix (e.g., day): dexter (PROP., that is on the right hand; hence of happy omens, especially of birds, etc., opposed to sinister): secundus (favorable, propitious; PROP., of the wind; then, in general, of things that turn out according to one’s wish; e.g., a battle, result, circumstance, etc.): prosper (answering to hope and expectation, proceeding favorably; e.g., progress, result, return, circumstance): bonus (good, such as is wished for; e.g., times, day, omen, etc.). Τo be fortunate, felicem (fortunatum, etc.) esse [Vid :, also, “to have good FORTUNE”]. I am so fortunate as to, etc., contingit mini, ut, etc.: ☞ by no means “contingit mini esse tam felici, ut,” etc. I am a fortunate man indeed! in caelo sum (as if in heaven; Vid: Cic., Att., 2, 19, 1, and 2, 20, 4): I consider myself fortunate, indeed, whenever, etc., digito me caelum puto attingere, si (Cic., Att., 2, 1, 6); deus sum, si (Ter., Heaut., 5, 4, 3); immortalitas mihi data or parta est, si (Plaut., Merc., 3, 4, 18; Ter., Andr., 5, 5, 4): to deem anybody or one’s self fortunate, aliquem or se felicem dicere; aliquem or se beatum praedicare: I cannot esteem myself fortunate, for, etc., felicem dicere me hoc non possum, quod, etc.: I consider myself fortunate, because, etc., beatus mihi videor, quod, etc.: I now consider myself the most fortunate of men, since, etc., multo omnium me nunc fortunatissimum factum puto esse, cum etc.: you may think yourself very fortunate, that, etc., bene tecum agitur, quod, etc.: that is very fortunate for you, bene est; bonum factum: may it be fortunate! (as introductory formula), quod bonum, faustum, felix fortunatumque sit!To be fortunate in all one undertakes, perpetua felicitate uti: to be more fortunate than wise, *feliciorem quam prudentiorem esse.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for fortunate?
- The usual Latin words for “fortunate” are fēlīx, fortūnō, beātus; also faustus, dexter, secundus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.