rugged
adj.-
1 uneven terrain (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatehaving a rough, uneven surface, especially with rocks and few plants.
describing land or terrain that is broken, rocky, and difficult to travel across.
ExampleThe hikers struggled to cross the rugged landscape of the high mountains.
ExampleThe rugged coastline of northern Scotland offers breathtaking views but presents significant challenges for those attempting to build permanent structures near the cliffs.
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2 strong and tough (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatestrong and able to handle difficult conditions or hard work.
possessing qualities of physical strength, durability, and the ability to withstand hardship.
ExampleYou need a rugged pair of boots if you plan to go trekking in the jungle.
ExampleThe expedition required rugged individuals who could endure weeks of isolation and extreme cold without complaint.
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3 durable technology (adj.) C1 Advanced Technical Computingdesigned to work reliably in very difficult or dirty environments.
specifically engineered to operate in harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures, moisture, or high vibration.
ExampleThe construction crew used rugged tablets that wouldn't break if dropped in the mud.
ExampleThe military specifies rugged hardware for field operations to ensure that communication remains stable despite the physical shocks of transport.
- heavy duty
- industrial grade
- consumer grade
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.