hardihood

[ hahr-dee-hood ]

noun

1. boldness or daring; courage.
2. audacity or impudence.
3. strength; power; vigor:

   the hardihood of youth.

4. hardy spirit or character; determination to survive; fortitude:

   the hardihood of early settlers.

hardihood

/ ˈhɑːdɪˌhʊd /

noun

1. courage, daring, or audacity

Word History and Origins

Origin of hardihood¹

First recorded in 1625–35; hardy ¹ + -hood

Example Sentences

All week the “atmospheric river” took huge dragon bites out of local coastlines, but the 49ers practiced outside in an exhibition of prideful, defiant hardihood.

From Washington Post

When we got back, he had the hardihood to tell me that he wished my sister could have known I had done her so much honour, and to hint that she would have considered it reasonably purchased at the price of her death.

From Literature

Being here presently denounced, he had for a time succeeded in evading the officers of Justice, but being at length seized while in the act of flight, he had resisted them, and had—he best knew whether by express design, or in the blindness of his hardihood—caused the death of his denouncer, to whom his whole career was known.

From Literature

I hardly know where I found the hardihood thus to open a conversation with a stranger; the step was contrary to my nature and habits: but I think her occupation touched a chord of sympathy somewhere; for I too liked reading, though of a frivolous and childish kind; I could not digest or comprehend the serious or substantial.

From Literature

He has faith and the hardihood of being in the prime of life, but even Letlow at Christmas was taken away, temporarily, from his lovely young family by this pandemic.

From Washington Times