Sturdy Definition

stûrdē
sturdier, sturdiest
adjective
sturdier, sturdiest
Having or showing rugged physical strength or robust health.
A sturdy lifeguard; a sturdy build.
American Heritage Medicine
Substantially made or built; able to withstand stress or rough use.
A sturdy ladder; sturdy boots.
American Heritage
Physically strong; vigorous; hardy.
Webster's New World
That will not yield or compromise; firm; resolute.
Sturdy defiance.
Webster's New World
Strongly built or constructed.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
noun
Webster's New World

A disease in sheep and cattle, marked by great nervousness, or by dullness and stupor.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Sturdy

Adjective

Base Form:
sturdy
Comparative:
sturdier
Superlative:
sturdiest

Origin of Sturdy

  • Circa 1300, in sense “unruly, reckless, violent", from Old French estourdi, form of estourdir, originally “to daze, to make tipsy (almost drunk)" (Modern French étourdir (“to daze, to make tipsy")), from Vulgar Latin *exturdire. Latin etymology is unclear - presumably it is ex- + turdus (“thrush (bird)"), but which this should mean “daze" is unclear. A speculative theory is that thrushes eat leftover winery grapes and thus became drunk, but this meets with objections.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English fierce, valiant, disobedient, strong from Old French estourdi dazed, reckless from past participle of estourdir to stun perhaps from Vulgar Latin exturdīre to be or act drunk like a thrush that has eaten fermented grapes or berries Latin ex- intensive pref. ex– Latin turdus thrush

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Disease in cows and sheep is by extension of sense of “daze", while sense of “strongly built" is of late 14th century, and relationship to earlier sense is less clear, perhaps from sense of a firm strike (causing a daze) or a strong, violent person.

    From Wiktionary

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