Rigorous
/ˈrɪɡ.ər.əs/noun
Extremely thorough, exact, and demanding.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *rigor*, meaning “stiffness” or “rigidity,” and in older Latin it could describe a body made rigid by cold or death before it became a metaphor for strictness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reig-
“to stiffen, tighten, or bind”
Latin
Latin
rigēre
“to be stiff or rigid”
Latin
Latin
rigor
“stiffness, rigidity, severity”
Old French
Old French
rigoureux
“severe, harsh, strict”
Middle English
English
rigourous
“severe, stern, exacting”
Modern English
English
rigorous
“extremely thorough, exact, and demanding”
Explore more surprising origins