rugged
adj.adj. having a strong, rough surface or being built to last in difficult conditions. You use it to describe wild land or objects that do not break easily.
adj. characterised by a rough, uneven surface or constructed to withstand harsh treatment and environmental stress. Often modified by 'very' or 'extremely'.
The hiker wore rugged boots for the mountain trail.
The company designed a rugged tablet specifically for engineers working on dusty, outdoor construction sites.
While the coastline is famous for its rugged beauty, the jagged rocks and unpredictable currents make it a treacherous area for even the most experienced sailors to navigate.
From Middle English rugged, roggyd, ruggyd, derived from Old Norse rǫgg (“tuft, shagginess”), equivalent to rug (“rough, woollen material”) + -ed. Compare Old Swedish ruggoter (“wrinkled”), Swedish rugga (“to roughen”), Swedish ruggig (“shaggy”), Icelandic rögg (“shagginess”), Old Norse raggaðr (“tufted”), dialectal Danish raggad (“shaggy”).
From rug + -ed.
Commonly modifies nouns related to terrain, physical appearance, or industrial equipment.