Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “robust” come from?

Robust comes from Latin robustus, derived from Latin robur (oak wood, strength), which developed from Latin ruber (red), ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- (to redden).

robust (English): Evincing strength and health; strong; Violent;...

Definitions

  1. Evincing strength and health; strong; Violent;...

Ancestry of “robust”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinrōbustus—
2Latinrōbur—
3Latinruberred ; ruddy
4Proto-Italicruðrosred
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rudʰrósred
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rewdʰ-red

Words derived from “robust”

  • robustness
  • robustly
  • robustious
  • robusticity
  • nonrobust
  • robustify
  • robustification
  • robustiously
  • robustiousness
  • robustize
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- →