hard-wearing
|hard-wear-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˌhɑrdˈwɛrɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˌhɑːdˈweərɪŋ/
durable; resists wear
Etymology
'hard-wearing' is a compound formed in Modern English from the adjective 'hard' and the present participle 'wearing'.
'hard' comes from Old English 'heard' meaning 'firm, solid', and 'wear' comes from Old English 'werian'/'werian' (wear) and related Germanic roots; these combined in later English to form the compound 'hard-wearing' meaning resistant to wear.
Initially the components meant 'firm' ('hard') and 'to undergo wear' ('wearing'); together they developed the compound sense 'resistant to wear' and now denote general durability.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
able to withstand wear, use, or exposure without quickly becoming damaged; durable and long-lasting.
These boots are hard-wearing and ideal for outdoor work.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/21 15:09