# hardy perennial

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hardy-perennial
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of perennial (“a person, problem, etc. that appears or returns regularly”).

## Examples

- Traffic jams are a hardy perennial in this city.
- Budget cuts remain a hardy perennial that the committee discusses at every single meeting.
- The debate over educational reform has become a hardy perennial, surfacing in every election cycle without ever reaching a final resolution.

## Origin

From the botanical term for a plant that lives for several years, surviving the winter to bloom again each spring. The metaphorical extension into English followed the classification of plants by their life cycles.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.