fate
UK[feɪt]US[feɪt]
n
The power believed to control everything that happens and that cannot be stopped or changed.
n
The things that will happen to someone, especially unpleasant events.
Etymology
The word 'fate' entered English in the 14th century from Old French 'fate', which itself derived from Latin 'fata', the plural of 'fatum' meaning 'that which has been spoken'. 'Fatum' originates from the past participle of the verb 'fari', meaning 'to speak'. This etymology reveals the core concept: fate was understood as the decree or pronouncement of the gods, an unalterable spoken destiny. The notion evolved from a literal divine utterance to the abstract, impersonal force that predetermines the course of events. This journey from 'speech' to 'destiny' encapsulates the ancient belief that the words of deities or oracles literally shaped reality.
Analysis
The word 'fate' is a simplex word borrowed from Latin. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
They believed it was fate that brought them together.
He met a terrible fate at the hands of his enemies.
She resigned herself to her fate.