Many English nouns ending in -itude come from Latin or French. Often the spelling stays the same and only the pronunciation changes. All French nouns ending in -itude are feminine.

Examples:

• l’altitude – “Altitude”
• l’aptitude – “Aptitude”
• l’attitude – “Attitude”
• la certitude – “Certitude”
• l’exactitude – “Exactitude”
• la gratitude – “Gratitude”
• la latitude – “Latitude”
• la longitude – “Longitude”
• la magnitude – “Magnitude”
• la multitude – “Multitude”
• la platitude – “Platitude”
• la plénitude – “Plenitude”
• la solitude – “Solitude”
• la vicissitude – “Vicissitude”

Some English nouns ending in -itude do not match French nouns with the same spelling. These are mismatches or rare forms.

Partial list of nouns that do not match:

• Fortitude – French uses le courage or la force d’âme
• Ineptitude – French uses l’incompétence; l’ineptitude is rare
• Promptitude – French uses la ponctualité or la rapidité
• Rectitude – English “moral uprightness”; French la rectitude means geometric straightness
• Verisimilitude – French uses la vraisemblance
• Habit – French uses l’habitude for the English “habit.”

Summary

All French nouns ending in -itude take la. Most English -itude nouns become French nouns with the same spelling. A few do not match. Check mismatches before using them.