Sturdy Definition
Other Word Forms of Sturdy
Adjective
Origin of Sturdy
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Circa 1300, in sense “unruly, reckless, violent", from Old French estourdi, form of estourdir, originally “to daze, to make tipsy (almost drunk)" (Modern French étourdir (“to daze, to make tipsy")), from Vulgar Latin *exturdire. Latin etymology is unclear - presumably it is ex- + turdus (“thrush (bird)"), but which this should mean “daze" is unclear. A speculative theory is that thrushes eat leftover winery grapes and thus became drunk, but this meets with objections.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English fierce, valiant, disobedient, strong from Old French estourdi dazed, reckless from past participle of estourdir to stun perhaps from Vulgar Latin exturdīre to be or act drunk like a thrush that has eaten fermented grapes or berries Latin ex- intensive pref. ex– Latin turdus thrush
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Disease in cows and sheep is by extension of sense of “daze", while sense of “strongly built" is of late 14th century, and relationship to earlier sense is less clear, perhaps from sense of a firm strike (causing a daze) or a strong, violent person.
From Wiktionary
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