What does "fortunate" mean?

1. (lucky or successful) having good luck or being successful, often because you are in a good situation. 2. (happening by chance) happening by a lucky accident or at a good time.

How do you use "fortunate"?

Often followed by an infinitive verb phrase, such as 'fortunate to be' or 'fortunate to have'.

fortunate

adj.

US //ˈfɔɹtʃənət// UK //fˈɔːtʃənət// for·tu·nate

1 lucky or successful (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

having good luck or being successful, often because you are in a good situation.

favoured by fortune; possessing good luck or having a successful status in life.

Example

He was fortunate to have a supportive family who helped him through university.

Example

The young entrepreneur was fortunate enough to secure venture capital just weeks before the market downturn began.

Usage

Often followed by an infinitive verb phrase, such as 'fortunate to be' or 'fortunate to have'.
- unfortunate
- unlucky
2 happening by chance (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

happening by a lucky accident or at a good time.

occurring by favourable chance; auspicious or timely in a way that brings benefits.

Example

It was a fortunate coincidence that we both arrived at the station at the same time.

Example

The discovery of the original manuscript was a fortunate event that forced historians to revise their understanding of the period.
- unfavourable
- disastrous

Origin

From Middle English fortunat(e) (“fortunate”), from Latin fortūnātus, from fortūna (“fortune, luck”) + -ātus (adjective-forming suffix), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). See also Middle English fortunaten (“to assure the success (of), make fortunate”); cognate with French fortuné (“lucky”). By surface analysis, fortune + -ate.

Word family

Adjectivefortunate
Adverbfortunately
Adverbunfortunately