fortune
[C/U] Both
pl: fortunespast: nullpp: nulling: nullcomp: nullsup: null
The word carries a dual energy of stability and volatility. When linked to wealth, it suggests a scale of money that transcends mere savings, evoking images of estates, dynasties, and life-changing luxury. It is often used hyperbolically in casual speech to describe something unexpectedly expensive. When linked to fate, it evokes the image of a wheel that turns, shifting a person from misery to joy or vice versa. This usage is more poetic and formal than the word luck, implying a grander, cosmic design rather than a simple coincidence.
Countable when referring to a specific sum of wealth (a small fortune). Uncountable when referring to the unpredictable nature of fate (fortune smiles upon us).