TOP

Definition of intestinal fortitude noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

intestinal fortitude

noun
 
/ɪnˌtestɪnl ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/,
 
/ˌɪnteˌstaɪnl ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/
 
/ɪnˌtestɪnl ˈfɔːrtɪtuːd/,
 
/ˌɪnteˌstaɪnl ˈfɔːrtɪtuːd/
(North American English, formal or humorous)
jump to other results
  1. the courage and strength of mind necessary to do something difficult or unpleasant (used when you want to avoid using the word guts)
    • He did not have the intestinal fortitude to implement the changes.
    • It’s rare to find a politician with the intestinal fortitude to take a controversial stance.
See intestinal fortitude in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: intestinal fortitude

Nearby words

ripple effect
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Change, cause and effect
C2
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day