sturdy
- Strong and solid, not easily broken or damaged.
- Determined and not easily discouraged.
In a sentence
- The hikers needed sturdy boots to walk across the rocky mountain trail.
- Despite the storm, the sturdy old oak tree did not fall down.
Usage note. 'Sturdy' is commonly collocated with physical objects ('sturdy table,' 'sturdy shoes') but can describe character too; 'robust' is a closer synonym for people or systems.
Where it comes from
English sturdy · entered English 13th–14th c.
From Old French 'estourdi,' meaning dazed, reckless, or violent, derived from the verb 'estourdir' (to stun or daze). It entered Middle English around the 13th–14th century, and its meaning shifted over time from 'recklessly brave' to 'strongly built.'