# Durant

/ˈdʊɹənt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/durant
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. strong cloth

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

a very strong, thick cloth made to look like leather, used a long time ago.

For teachers: a durable woollen or worsted fabric, often glazed, manufactured to imitate buff leather.

- The old soldier wore a jacket made of durant to protect him from the wind.
- The merchant's ledger from 1750 listed several rolls of durant, prized by the local labourers for its exceptional resistance to tearing.

Usage: Commonly found in historical inventories or descriptions of 18th-century clothing.

Teaching tip: This term is strictly historical; modern learners will only encounter it in period literature or museum contexts.

### 2. duration

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

the length of time that something lasts.

For teachers: an obsolete variant of 'durance', referring to the continuation or duration of time.

- They stayed in the small village for the durant of the winter.
- The treaty specified that the alliance would remain in effect for the durant of the monarch's natural life.

Usage: Used as a synonym for 'duration' in early modern English texts.

Teaching tip: Learners should not use this in modern writing; 'duration' is the standard contemporary equivalent.

## Examples

- The antique chair was covered in green durant.
- Historians identified the garment as being made of durant, a material chosen for its ability to withstand daily wear in the 1700s.
- While silk was reserved for the wealthy, durant provided a practical alternative for the middle class, offering a similar sheen with significantly greater structural integrity.

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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.