noun · femininefirst declension
fortūna1
fortūna f (genitive fortūnae)
Classical[fɔrˈtuː.na]Ecclesiastical[forˈtuː.na]
№ 138 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- fortune, luck
- good fortune; misfortune (depending on context)
Vergilius, Aeneis, Book V, line 710
All misfortune is to be overcome by enduring.Vergilius, Aeneis, Book X, lines 42-43
Such we hoped, while good fortune was. - destiny, fate
- prosperity
- in pluralpossessions
Quibus rebus adductus Caesar non expectandum sibi statuit dum, omnibus fortunis sociorum consumptis, in Santonos Helvetii pervenirent.
Caesar, induced by these circumstances, decides that he ought not to wait until the Helvetii, after destroying all the property of his allies, should arrive among the Santones.c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico 1.11
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quod fors homini dat, bonum malumve; fortūna vertitur: nunc bona, nunc mala.fortūna -ae f — in Mille Verba, ch. Vīta et Mors
fortune
fortūna -ae — in Viri Romae Facillimi, ch. 11, 26
fortune, chance
fortūna — in Seneca, ch. XIX
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Casus · Fors · Fortuna · Fors Fortuna · Fatum
1. Casus denotes chance as an inanimate natural agent, which is not the consequence of human calculation, or of known causes, like συμφορά; whereas fors denotes the same chance as a sort of mythological being, which, without aim or butt, to sport as it were with mortals, and baffle their calculations, influences human affairs, like τύχη. 2. Fors, as a mythological being, is this chance considered as blind fortune; whereas Fortuna is fortune, not considered as blind, and without aim, but as taking a part in the course of human affairs from personal favor or disaffection; lastly, fors fortuna means a lucky chance, ἀγαθὴ τύχη. 3. All these beings form an opposition against the Dii and Fatum, which do not bring about or prevent events from caprice or arbitrary will, but according to higher laws; and the gods, indeed, according to the intelligible laws of morality, according to merit and worth, right and equity; fatum, according to the mysterious laws by which the universe is eternally governed, like εἱμαρμένη, μοῖρα. Tac. Hist. iv. 26. Quod in pace fors seu natura, tunc fatum et ira deorum vocabatur. (295.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | fortūna | fortūnae |
| genitive | fortūnae | fortūnārum |
| dative | fortūnae | fortūnīs |
| accusative | fortūnam | fortūnās |
| ablative | fortūnā | fortūnīs |
| vocative | fortūna | fortūnae |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- fortuna adversa
- misfortune, adversity.
- fortunae cedere
- to acquiesce in one's fate.
- varia fortuna uti
- to experience the vicissitudes of fortune; to have a chequered career.
- ludibrium fortunae
- the plaything of Fortune.
- fortuna secunda uti
- to be fortunate, lucky.
- fortuna aliquem effert
- Fortune exalts a man, makes him conspicuous.
- fortunae se committere
- to trust to luck.
- fortunae obiectum esse
- to be abandoned to fate.
21 more phrases
- fortunae vicissitudines
- the vicissitudes of fortune.
- fortunae meae me paenitet
- I am discontented with my lot.
- fortunam tentare, experiri
- to try one's luck.
- fortunam in manibus habere
- to have success in one's grasp.
- fortunam fautricem nancisci
- to be favoured by Fortune; to bask in Fortune's smiles.
- fortunis maximis ornatum esse
- to be in the enjoyment of a large fortune.
- is, quem fortuna complexa est
- Fortune's favourite.
- fortunam ex manibus dimittere
- to let success slip through one's fingers.
- fortunae telis propositum esse
- to be exposed to the assaults of fate.
- fortuna commutatur, se inclinat
- luck is changing, waning.
- conflictari (cum) adversa fortuna
- to struggle with adversity.
- a fortuna desertum, derelictum esse
- to be abandoned by good luck.
- ad iniurias fortunae expositum esse
- to be a victim of the malice of Fortune.
- infima fortuna or condicio servorum
- a degraded, servile condition.
- fortunam periclitari (periculum facere)
- to run a risk; to tempt Providence.
- evertere aliquem bonis, fortunis patriis
- to drive a person out of house and home.
- condicio ac fortuna hominum infimi generis
- the position of the lower classes.
- fortuna caecos homines efficit, animos occaecat
- Fortune makes men shortsighted, infatuates them.
- exturbare aliquem omnibus fortunis, e possessionibus
- to drive a person out of house and home.
- sedem ac domicilium (fortunas suas) constituere alicubi
- to take up one's abode in a place, settle down somewhere.
- fortunae favore or prospero flatu fortunae uti (vid. sect. VI. 8., note uti...)
- to be favoured by Fortune; to bask in Fortune's smiles.
fortūna, ae (archaic
I. gen. sing. fortunas, like familias, escas, vias, etc., Naev. ap. Prisc. p. 679 P.), f. lengthened from fors; cf. Nep-tunus, v. Corss. Ausspr. 1, 434, chance, hap, luck, fate, fortune (good or ill; syn.: casus, fors; fatum, providentia).
I. In gen.:
quid est enim aliud fors, quid fortuna, quid casus, quid eventus, nisi cum sic aliquid cecidit, sic evenit, ut vel non cadere atque evenire, vel aliter cadere atque evenire potuerit? quo modo ergo id, quod temere fit caeco casu et volubilitate fortunae, praesentiri et praedici potest? Cic. Div. 2, 6, 15: si haec habent aliquam talem necessitatem: quid est tandem quod casu fieri aut forte fortuna putemus? Nihil enim est tam contrarium rationi et constantiae quam fortuna: ut mihi ne in deum quidem cadere videatur, ut sciat, quid casu et fortuito futurum sit. Si enim scit, certe illud eveniet: sin certe eveniet, nulla fortuna est: est autem fortuna: rerum igitur fortuitarum nulla praesensio est, etc., id. ib. 2, 7, 18 sq.: sed haec fortuna viderit, quoniam ratio non gubernat, id. Att. 14, 11, 1: vir ad casum fortunamque felix, id. Font. 15 fin.: si tot sunt in corpore bona, tot extra corpus in casu atque fortuna ... plus fortunam quam consilium valere, id. Tusc. 5, 9, 25; cf.: (bona) posita non tam in consiliis nostris quam in fortunae temeritate, id. Lael. 6, 20: adversante fortuna, id. Rep. 2, 16 fin.; id. Mur. 31, 64: quorum ego causa timidius me fortunae committebam, id. Att. 9, 6, 4: fortunae rotam pertimescere, id. Pis. 10, 22: secundam fortunam pulcherrime: adversam aeque ferre, Sulp. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 5, 6; cf.: prospera adversave fortuna, Cic. N. D. 3, 37, 89: spoliatam fortunam conferre cum florente fortuna, id. Pis. 16, 38: integra fortuna (opp. afflicta), id. Sull. 31 fin.: florentissima (opp. durior), id. Att. 10, 4, 4: non praecipua, sed par cum ceteris fortunae condicio, id. Rep. 1, 4: optima, id. ib. 3, 17 fin.: rei publicae fortuna fatalis, id. Sest. 7, 17: belli, Caes. B. C. 2, 6, 1; id. B. G. 1, 36, 3: se suas civitatisque fortunas ejus fidei permissurum, Caes. B. G. 5, 3 fin. (cf. II. B. 1. fin. infra.).—Prov.: fortuna miserrima tuta est, Ov. P. 2, 2, 31: fortuna meliores sequitur, Sall. H. 1, 48, 15 (Dietsch): fortuna cum blanditur, captatum venit, Publ. Syr. 167 (Rib.): fortes fortuna adjuvat; v. fortis, II. A. fin.—B. Personified: Fortuna, the goddess of fate, luck, or fortune, Fortune: He. Respice me. Er. Fortuna quod nec facit nec faciet me jubes, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 54:
nequiquam tibi Fortuna faculam lucrifica adlucere volt, id. Pers. 4, 3, 47: quo in genere vel maxime est Fortuna numeranda, Cic. N. D. 3, 24, 61: heu, Fortuna, quis est crudelior in nos te deus? Hor. S. 2, 8, 61: saeviat atque novos moveat Fortuna tumultus, id. ib. 2, 2, 126: Fortunae fanum antiquum (Syracusis), Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 53, § 119: Fortunae in gremio sedens, id. Div. 2, 41, 85 sq.: bona Fortuna, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 3 fin.: Malam Fortunam in aedis te adduxi meas, Plaut. Rud. 2, 6, 17: mala Fortuna, Cic. Leg. 2, 11, 28; id. N. D. 3, 25, 63: Fors Fortuna; v. fors: Fortunae filius, child of fortune, fortune's favorite, Hor. S. 2, 6, 49; v. filius.II. In partic.
A. Without secunda or adversa, either good luck or ill luck, according to the context.
1. For fortuna secunda, good luck, good fortune, prosperity:
reliquum est, ut de felicitate pauca dicamus ... Maximo, Marcello, Scipioni ... non solum propter virtutem, sed etiam propter fortunam saepius imperia mandata, Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 16, 47: judicium hoc omnium mortalium est, fortunam a deo petendam, id. N. D. 3, 36, 88: diuturna cum fortuna, id. Div. 1, 20, 39: superbum se praebuit in fortuna, id. Att. 8, 4, 1: non solum ipsa fortuna caeca est, sed eos etiam plerumque efficit caecos, quos complexa est, id. Lael. 15, 54: a fortuna deseri, Caes. B. G. 5, 34, 2: fortunam habere, to succeed, Liv. 24, 34, 1: fortunam sibi facere, id. 39, 40, 4; cf.: fortunam sequi, Tac. H. 4, 78: habendam fortunae gratiam, quod, etc., Caes. B. C. 3, 73, 3: dum fortuna fuit, Verg. A. 3, 16: deos precetur et oret, Ut redeat miseris, abeat fortuna superbis, Hor. A. P. 201: ut tu fortunam, sic nos te feremus, id. Ep. 1, 8, 17: venimus ad summum fortunae, id. ib. 2, 1, 32: ut te Confestim liquidus fortunae rivus inauret, id. ib. 1, 12, 9: occidit Spes omnis et fortuna nostri Nominis, id. C. 4, 4, 71.—Prov.: Fortunam citius reperias quam retineas, Publ. Syr. 168 (Rib.).—Hence, b. Per fortunas, i. e. for heaven's sake, Cic. Att. 5, 11, 1; 5, 13, 3; 3, 20, 1.—
2. For fortuna adversa, ill luck, mishap, misfortune, adversity (very rare):
Trojae renascens alite lugubri Fortuna tristi clade iterabitur, Hor. C. 3, 3, 62: ut arte Emendaturus fortunam, id. S. 2, 8, 85.—B. = condicio, state, condition, circumstances, fate, lot (class.;
a favorite expression of Cicero): est autem infima condicio et fortuna servorum, Cic. Off. 1, 13, 41; cf.: in infimi generis hominum condicione atque fortuna, id. Mil. 34, 92: (Lampsaceni) populi Romani condicione socii, fortuna servi, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 32, § 81; so corresp. to condicio, Quint. 3, 8, 50: Aedui queruntur fortunae commutationem, Caes. B. G. 7, 63: ut non modo omnium generum, aetatum, ordinum omnes viri ac mulieres, omnis fortunae ac loci, sed, etc., Cic. Pis. 22, 52: homines infimā fortunā, id. Fin. 5, 19, 52: inferiorem esse fortunā, id. Fam. 13, 5, 2: spes amplificandae fortunae, id. Lael. 16, 59: cui cessit triplicis fortuna novissima regni, lot, share, Ov. M. 5, 368: Arruns Camillam Circuit et quae sit fortuna facillima temptat, opportunity, Verg. A. 11, 761: Gallus utrum avem, an gentem, an fortunam corporis significet, bodily condition (of a eunuch), Quint. 7, 9, 2.—Plur.: quod si eo meae fortunae redeunt, abs te ut distrahar, Ter. Phorm. 1, 4, 23: omnes laudare fortunas meas, qui gnatum haberem tali ingenio praeditum, id. And. 1, 1, 71: ejus laudare fortunas, quod qua vellet ingredi posset, Cic. Tusc. 5, 39, 115: et secundas fortunas amittere coactus est, et in adversis sine ullo remedio permanere, id. Sull. 23, 66; Caes. B. G. 5, 3, 5; 6, 7, 6.— 2. Transf., concr., fortunae, ārum, less freq. in the sing., property, possessions, goods, fortune.
(a). Plur.:
tum propter rei publicae calamitates omnium possessiones erant incertae: nunc deum immortalium benignitate omnium fortunae sunt certae, Cic. Rosc. Com. 12, 33: bona fortunaeque, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 44, § 113: pecunia fortunaeque, id. Rosc. Am. 3, 7: fortunas morte dimittere, id. Tusc. 1, 6, 12: et honore et auctoritate et fortunis facile civitatis suae princeps, id. Rep. 2, 19: fortunis sociorum consumptis, Caes. B. G. 1, 11 fin.: fortunarum pericula, Quint. 4, 2, 122.—(b). Sing.:
quo mihi fortuna, si non conceditur uti? Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 12: nec mea concessa est aliis fortuna, Ov. Tr. 5, 2, 57: adiri nomen invidiosae fortunae Caesaris, Vell. 2, 60, 1 Ruhnk.: de fortuna, qua uterque abundabat, Quint. 6, 1, 50: fortunam in nominibus habere, Dig. 4, 7, 40 fin.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
fortūna ae, f
fors, chance, hap, luck, fate, fortune : volubilitas fortunae: plus fortunam quam consilium valere: fortunae rotam pertimescere: secunda Haud adversa, V.: rei p. fatalis: belli fortunam temptari, Cs.—Person., the goddess of fate, Luck, Fortune , T., C., V.: Fortunae filius, fortune's favorite , H.: Fors Fortuna; see fors.—Fig., state, condition, fortune, circumstances, fate, lot, position, rank : fortunae commutatio, Cs.: prospera adversave: miserior, Cs.: servorum: populi R. conditione socii, fortunā servi: inferior fortunā: si eo meae fortunae redeunt, ut, etc., T.: suas fortunas eius fidei permittere, Cs.: cui cessit triplicis fortuna regni, the lot , O.— Good-luck, goodfortune, prosperity, success : O fortuna, ut numquam perpetuo es data! T.: Marcello propter fortunam saepius imperia mandata: fortuna rei p. vicit, S.: superbum se praebuit in fortunā: a fortunā deseri, Cs.: fortunam habere, succeed , L.: Dum fortuna fuit, V.: Sed fortuna fuit, i. e. is gone , V.: Ut tu fortunam, sic nos te feremus, H.: summum fortunae, H.: quae sit fortuna facillima, way to success , V.— Ill-luck, mishap, misfortune, adversity : quoniam sit fortunae cedendum, Cs.: Troiae Fortuna tristi clade iterabitur, H.— Property, possessions, goods, fortune : Quo mihi fortunam, si non conceditur uti? H.: concessa aliis, O.: cum fortuna crevisset, N.: fortunas morte dimittere: fortunis sociorum consumptis, Cs.
Origins
From Proto-Italic *fortūnā, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰr̥-tew-n-éh₂, a substantivized feminine form of an unattested adjective *fortūnus, from the -tus-derivation *fortus to ferō (“to bear, carry”) or fors (“chance, luck”), + -nus, ultimately from *bʰer- (“to bear, carry”). For the meaning development compare with Russian везе́ние (vezénije, “luck, good luck”) related to везти́ (veztí, “to convey, to carry (by vehicle), to deliver, to transport”); furthermore cf. partly synonymous and cognate Ancient Greek συμφορά (sumphorá, “fortune, bad luck, good luck”) (< σῠμφέρω (sŭmphérō) < φέρω (phérō)).
Descendants
- Italianfortuna
- Romanianfurtună
- Catalanfortuna
- Occitanfortuna
- Frenchfortunefrom Old French fortune
- Englishfortunefrom Old French fortune
- Portuguesefortuna
- Spanishfortuna
- Aromanianfurtunã
- Greekφουρτούναfrom Italian fortuna
In English words that came into English from fortūna
- fortunefortūna
- fortunatefortūnātus
- infortuneinfortunium