hardy
hardy Lexical Profile
hardy Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Robust, resilient, and capable of enduring difficult conditions, physical fatigue, or extreme hardship.
"The hardy mountain climbers continued their ascent despite the freezing winds."
Able to survive outdoors through winter frost and cold temperatures without protective covering (of a plant).
"Kale and rosemary are hardy plants that can survive frost in many temperate gardens."
Bold, brave, or audacious; sometimes to the point of being rash or presumptuous.
"Only a few hardy souls dared to swim in the icy ocean on New Year's Day."
• noun
A hardy plant that can survive outdoor winter temperatures without artificial protection.
"The nursery stocks a wide variety of perennials and winter hardies suitable for northern climates."
A blacksmith's chisel or fuller having a square shank that fits into a corresponding square hole (the hardy hole) in an anvil.
"The blacksmith placed the glowing iron bar over the hardy and struck it with a hammer to cut it cleanly."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'hardy' (robust and able to endure harsh conditions) with 'hearty' (warm, enthusiastic, or wholesome and substantial, as in a 'hearty meal' or 'hearty laugh').
• Rhymes for hardy
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'hardi' ('bold, courageous'), the past participle of 'hardir' ('to make bold'), which is of Frankish and Germanic origin and related to the English word 'hard'.