Word of the Day

: August 10, 2024

durable

adjective DUR-uh-bul

What It Means

Durable describes people or things that last, or remain strong and in good condition over a long period of time. It is often used figuratively, as in "a durable athlete."

// The fabric was durable enough to withstand chewing from the family dog.

// She is one of Hollywood's most durable stars.

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durable in Context

"California proposed banning single-use cups at chain restaurants for dine-in customers, building upon its plastic straw ban, mandated phase-out of virgin plastic use, and proposal to ban plastic retail bags. Under SB 1167 ... chain restaurants instead would be required to provide dine-in customers with reusable drinking vessels that are 'a durable cup, mug, or glass containing hot or cold liquids that is cleaned and reused by the food service facility.'" — The Black Chronicle, 21 Feb. 2024

Did You Know?

Something durable lasts a long time, so it's apt that durable comes to us (via Anglo-French) from the Latin verb durare, meaning "to last." Other descendants of durare in English include during, endure, and duration, all of which concern things lasting in one way or another. Durable even has a near synonym in the much rarer perdurable, which combines durare with the prefix per- (meaning "throughout") to create a word that can mean "lasting a very long time or indefinitely" or "eternal."