ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hardy

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhɑɹdi// UK //hˈɑːdi// hardy Archaic

n. strong and able to survive difficult conditions like cold weather or hard work. You use this to describe plants that live through the winter or people who do not get sick easily.

n. capable of enduring fatigue, hardship, or exposure to harsh environmental conditions. Often used in botanical contexts to describe plants that survive winter outdoors without protection.


SIMPLE

These hardy plants survive even in the coldest winters.

CONTEXTUAL

The mountain guides are a hardy group of people who spend all year working in freezing temperatures.

COMPLEX

While many tropical species require a greenhouse to survive the frost, these hardy shrubs can be planted directly in the garden and will thrive with minimal maintenance.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Old English *Hearda + īeġ (“island, dry land in a marsh”).

Etymology 2

* As an English, Scottish, and French surname, from Middle English hardy, hardi, from Old French hardi (“hardy, daring, stout, bold”). * As an Irish surname, via mac giolla deacair (“son of the hard lad”) as a calque of the above. * Also as a Scottish surname, variant of Hardie.

Usage

Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun, though it can also follow a linking verb.

Pitfall

He is a hearty person who survives the cold.He is a hardy person who survives the cold.Learners often confuse 'hardy' (strong/tough) with 'hearty' (loud/cheerful or large, as in a meal).

Idioms2 entries

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