fortunate
- 1Favored by good luck; enjoying success or advantages through chance or circumstance.
He was fortunate enough to inherit a thriving business from his uncle.
Families fortunate in their timing bought homes before prices soared.
Similarlucky, blessed, privileged, favored
Oppositeunlucky, unfortunate, luckless, hapless
- 2Coming about through good luck or a favorable turn of chance rather than design.
A fortunate gust pushed the small boat clear of the rocks.
Their meeting was a fortunate coincidence neither had expected.
Similarlucky, providential, happy, fortuitous, timely
Oppositeunlucky, unfortunate, untimely
- 3Boding well for the future; giving promising signs of a good outcome.
The early harvest was taken as a fortunate omen for the season to come.
A fortunate beginning gave the expedition confidence for the months ahead.
Similarauspicious, promising, propitious, favorable, encouraging
Oppositeinauspicious, ominous, unpromising, unfavorable
Practice
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Origin
From Middle English fortunat(e), from Latin fortūnātus, formed from fortūna ("fortune, luck") plus the adjective-forming suffix -ātus. It is cognate with French fortuné ("lucky"), and can be analyzed as fortune + -ate.