Superlative form of hard: the most solid, firm, difficult, or requiring the most effort.
From Old English 'heard,' related to Germanic 'hard' and Indo-European root meaning 'bold' or 'strong.' The word originally referred to bold or harsh things before expanding to mean physically firm.
The word 'hard' comes from the same root as 'hardy' and 'bold'—so calling someone 'hard' once meant they had a strong character, not just tough skin! The meaning gradually shifted from personality to physical properties.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.