What does durable mean?
Durable describes something built or suited to last — an object that resists wear and damage over extended use, or, by extension, an arrangement or quality that endures across time. A durable phone case survives drops; a durable friendship weathers conflict. The word carries positive connotations of reliability and value: calling something durable implies it was well made and worth keeping. In economics it has a precise technical sense, where durable goods are products with a lifespan of several years, as opposed to perishable or non-durable items consumed quickly. Derived from the Latin verb durare, meaning to last or harden, it entered English via French in the late Middle Ages. Its noun form, durability, names the quality itself, and its adverb form, durably, describes how something is constructed. Durable is a practical, widely applicable word, equally at home in product reviews, engineering specifications, diplomatic language, and everyday praise for things that hold up under pressure.
Able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage over a long period; long-lasting.
"The kitchen floor is covered in durable vinyl tiles."
In economics, "durable" specifically describes goods expected to last three years or more.
(Of abstract things such as peace, relationships, or solutions) Likely to persist or remain effective over a long period.
"The treaty laid the groundwork for a durable settlement."
The same Latin root that gave us "durable" — durare, "to harden" — also gave us "during," which is why the word for lasting a long time and the word marking time passing are close cousins.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of durable
Durable derives from the Latin verb durare, meaning "to last, endure, or harden," itself rooted in the adjective durus, "hard." The word passed into Old French as durable before entering English around the fourteenth century. It shares its root with related borrowings such as endure and during, as well as duress and obdurate, all tracing back to the same Latin source.
Related word forms
How durable is actually used
Neutral register, common in both everyday and commercial/technical language. In economics, "durable" is a term of art: durable goods are items expected to last three years or more. The comparative "more durable" and superlative "most durable" are standard; "durabler" is not used.
Easily confused with durable
"Durable" means able to last a long time physically, while "endurable" means something bearable that one can tolerate.