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What is the difference between courage and fortitude?

courage | fortitude |

As nouns the difference between courage and fortitude

is that courage is the quality of a confident character not to be afraid or intimidated easily but without being incautious or inconsiderate while fortitude is mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.

As a verb courage

is to encourage.

courage

English

Noun

(-)
  • The quality of a confident character not to be afraid or intimidated easily but without being incautious or inconsiderate.
    • "A great part of courage is the courage of having done the thing before." —
    It takes a lot of courage to be successful in business.
  • The ability to do things which one finds frightening.
    • "Courage is not the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of it." —
    He plucked up the courage to tell her how he felt.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * courageous * discourage * encourage

    Related terms

    * cardiac

    Verb

    (courag)
  • (label) To encourage.
  • *:
  • *:And wete yow wel sayd kynge Arthur vnto Vrres syster I shalle begynne to handle hym and serche vnto my power not presumyng vpon me that I am soo worthy to hele youre sone by my dedes / but I wille courage other men of worshyp to doo as I wylle doo
  • *(William Tyndale) (1494-1536)
  • *:Paul writeth unto Timothyto courage him.

    • See also

    * fearlessness * bield English abstract nouns ----

    fortitude

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.
  • * 1612 , , King Henry VIII , act 3, sc. 2:
    • . . . I am able now, methinks,
    Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,
    To endure more miseries.
  • * , ch. 1:
    • I shall soon have need for all my fortitude , as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter.
  • * 1906 , , The Mirror of the Sea , ch. 21:
    • She may be saved by your efforts, by your resource and fortitude bearing up against the heavy weight of guilt and failure.
  • * 2012 Jan. 30, , " The Strategist," Time :
    • Mitt Romney . . . charges that Obama is an appeaser who apologizes for America, lacks fortitude and is "tentative, indecisive, timid and nuanced."
  • (archaic) Physical strength.
  • * 1604 , , Othello , act 1, sc. 3:
    • DUKE OF VENICE: The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for
    Cyprus. Othello, the fortitude of the place is best
    known to you.

    Synonyms

    * (mental or emotional strength) inner strength, moxie, resolve