Vis unita fortior
“Strength united is stronger.”
Traditional Latin motto
What does “Vis unita fortior” mean?
Vis unita fortior translates as “Strength united is stronger.”
Joined forces are greater than scattered ones. It is a motto of solidarity for teams, unions and alliances.
“Vis unita fortior” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Vis | strength, force | nominative singular feminine of vis, “force, strength” (an irregular noun); the subject of the phrase |
| unita | united, joined together | nominative singular feminine perfect passive participle of unio, “to unite”; agrees with vis |
| fortior | stronger | nominative singular comparative of fortis, “strong”; agrees with vis, and the verb “is” is understood |
How to pronounce “Vis unita fortior”
The two differ only in the first word: Classical vis is “wees” and Church Latin vis is “vees”. Stress unita on the second syllable (the i is long) and fortior on the first.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto reads “strength united (is) stronger”. Latin leaves out the verb “is”, so the three words stand together as a compact slogan. It is a traditional motto with no single known author.
The idea behind it is much older than the phrase. Aesop’s fable of the bundle of sticks, in which one stick snaps easily but a bundle will not break, makes the same point about unity.
The motto has been adopted by many families, towns and organisations, especially in the early modern period, when mottoes were commonly placed on coats of arms. The idea of strength through unity is still used today by clubs, unions and cooperatives.
How to use “Vis unita fortior”
Suits a team, sports club, cooperative, union or family crest, or any group that wants a short statement of solidarity. It also works well as a caption for a photo of friends or colleagues working together, or as a motto in a speech about teamwork.
- Latin
- Vis unita fortior
- English
- Strength united is stronger.
- Source
- Traditional Latin motto
- Era
- Early modern
- Theme
- Unity
Common mistakes
- The word order matters for the sense: vis unita is “strength united” (a force joined together), not “the strength of one”.
- The phrase is often misattributed to a single famous author. It is a traditional motto, not a quotation from one classical source.
- Do not change fortior to fortis: fortior is the comparative (“stronger”), while fortis simply means “strong” and loses the point of the comparison.
- Several unrelated groups use this motto, so a version on a coat of arms or flag may be spelled or arranged differently from the standard wording.
Questions about “Vis unita fortior”
What does “Vis unita fortior” mean literally?
Literally it is “strength united (is) stronger”. Latin leaves out the verb, and in English it is usually rendered “united strength is stronger” or “there is strength in unity”.
Who said “Vis unita fortior”?
No single author is known. It is a traditional Latin motto used by many families, towns and organisations, and it echoes the idea in Aesop’s fable of the bundle of sticks.
How do you pronounce “Vis unita fortior”?
In Classical Latin it is “wees oo-NEE-tah FOR-tee-ohr”. In Church Latin the first word becomes “vees”, so “vees oo-NEE-tah FOR-tee-ohr”.
Is “Vis unita fortior” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. The grammar is correct: vis, unita and fortior all agree in the nominative singular feminine, and the verb “is” is simply understood, as is normal in Latin mottoes.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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