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Added 9 October 2026

sturdy

/ˈstɜːdi/ adjective

Latin root: etymology Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about sturdy at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships.
hardy explorers of northern Canada
Not making concessions.
took an uncompromising stance in the peace talks
Substantially made or constructed.
sturdy steel shelves

Origin

From Middle English sturdy, stourdy, stordy (“bold, valiant, strong, stern, fierce, rebellious”) (perhaps influenced by Middle English sture, stoure, stor (“strong, robust, harsh, stern, violent, fierce, sturdy”); see English stour), from Old French estourdi (“dazed”), 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 how 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, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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