hardy

¹ American  

[hahr-dee] / ˈhɑr di /

adjective

hardier, hardiest

1. capable of enduring fatigue, hardship, exposure, etc.; sturdy; strong.

   hardy explorers of northern Canada.

   Synonyms:

   sound, stout, hale, robust, vigorous

   Antonyms:

   weak

2. (of plants) able to withstand the cold of winter in the open air.

3. requiring great physical courage, vigor, or endurance.

   the hardiest sports.

4. bold or daring; courageous.

   hardy soldiers.

   Synonyms:

   brave, resolute, intrepid

   Antonyms:

   timid

5. unduly bold; presumptuous; foolhardy.

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hardy ² American  

[hahr-dee] / ˈhɑr di /

noun

plural

hardies

1. a chisel or fuller with a square shank for insertion into a square hole hardy hole in a blacksmith's anvil.

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Hardy ³ American  

[hahr-dee] / ˈhɑr di /

noun

1. Godfrey Harold, 1877–1947, English mathematician.

2. Oliver, 1892–1957, U.S. motion-picture comedian.

3. Thomas, 1840–1928, English novelist and poet.

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hardy ¹ British  

/ ˈhɑːdɪ /

adjective

1. having or demanding a tough constitution; robust

2. bold; courageous

3. foolhardy; rash

4. (of plants) able to live out of doors throughout the winter

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Hardy ² British  

/ ˈhɑːdɪ /

noun

1. Oliver. See Laurel and Hardy

2. Thomas. 1840–1928, British novelist and poet. Most of his novels are set in his native Dorset (part of his fictional Wessex) and include Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895), after which his work consisted chiefly of verse

3. Sir Thomas Masterman. 1769–1839, British naval officer, flag captain under Nelson (1799–1805): 1st Sea Lord (1830)

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hardy ³ British  

/ ˈhɑːdɪ /

noun

1. any blacksmith's tool made with a square shank so that it can be lodged in a square hole in an anvil

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Etymology

Origin of hardy¹

1175–1225; Middle English hardi < Old French, past participle of *hardir to harden, make brave < Germanic; compare Gothic -hardjan, Old High German hartjan to harden

Origin of hardy²

First recorded in 1865–70; hard + -y ²

Explanation

Hardy means tough––if you're hardy, you don't get tired easily and can endure hardship. People who don't catch cold often attribute this fact to their coming from hardy farming stock. Before 1200, hardy indicated boldness and daring in battle and was probably influenced by hard. Warriors are hardy: they’re brave and strong and don’t easily tire. Plants and animals can also be hardy if they can survive harsh weather or poor growing conditions. When planting a lawn, you should pick hardy species of grass, which will survive droughts and come back after long, cold winters.

Example Sentences

Previous work has shown that the hardy microbe can withstand radiation and desiccation, making it a candidate for interplanetary survival.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

No one today any longer wishes to hear jokes about nagging mothers-in-law, spendthrift wives or old jalopies, and the men and women who once told them to hardy plaudits are now forgotten.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

Their plans include bringing in large herbivores including ponies, hardy cattle and eventually even bison to graze the land naturally, and there are hopes pine martens, beavers and golden eagles could recolonise the landscape.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2025

This is a good Lions squad - extremely creative at their best and capable of brutal physicality up front through some seriously hardy ball-carriers.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2025

There ought to be a plaque to him somewhere in Norwich to inspire the few hardy hikers still heading north at this point, but sadly there is none.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson