What does hardy mean?
Hardy is an adjective for something capable of enduring conditions that would defeat a less resilient plant, animal, or person. In gardening, a hardy perennial is one that survives ordinary outdoor winters, although the term does not by itself promise immunity to extreme cold. Applied to people, hardy suggests toughness, endurance, and a willingness to withstand hardship; it is generally approving, though it can sound old-fashioned or literary. A less common sense means bold and determined, especially in older writing. Hardy is useful because it goes beyond merely strong: strength alone does not necessarily imply the ability to persist through adversity. Its Germanic ancestry also connects it with hard, while its development through French gives it a long history of describing both physical fortitude and courageous resolve. In everyday use, the word is most often encountered in horticulture, but it can lend vivid, approving force to descriptions of resilient people, animals, and organisms.
adjectiveHardy means able to withstand difficult conditions, especially cold or other harsh weather. Applied to people, it means tough and capable of enduring hardship; less commonly, it means bold and determined.
- Of a plant or other organism: able to withstand harsh environmental conditions and survive without special protection.
- Of a person: tough, physically strong, and able to endure hardship.
- Less commonly, of a person: bold, determined, and ready to face danger or difficulty.
"The native shrub is hardy enough to flourish through freezing winters and long dry spells."
"These hardy native plants need little attention once established."
"The hardy mountaineer continued through the storm without complaint."
From the same Germanic root as hard, hardy came to mean not merely strong, but able to thrive where lesser plants surrender.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hardy come from?
Hardy entered Middle English from Old French hardi, originally meaning “bold” or “brave.” Old French hardi came from a Frankish form meaning “hard,” cognate with English hard and Germanic forms such as German hart and Dutch hard. Its original emphasis on boldness broadened over time to mean strong, resilient, and able to withstand difficult conditions.
Related word forms
How hardy is actually used
Hardy is generally approving and implies resilience or endurance rather than brute strength alone. Its less common sense of being bold or determined now sounds literary or somewhat old-fashioned.
Easily confused with hardy
Hardy means tough and able to endure difficult conditions, whereas handy means useful, convenient, or skillful with the hands.
Hardy describes endurance or toughness, while hoary describes something that is old, gray, or long-established.