Robur
/ˈroʊ.bʊr/noun
A classical Latin noun meaning “oak,” and by extension “strength” or “hardness.”
Did you know?Roman writers used *robur* for the oak’s timber and for moral or physical strength, which is why the word became a symbol of unbreakable power in later Latin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reudh-
“A root meaning “red” or “ruddy,” often linked to the red-brown color of certain trees and wood”
Latin
Latin
robur
“Oak; hard oak wood; strength, vigor”
Classical Latin
Latin
robur
“Strength, firmness, bodily power, moral force”
Medieval Latin
Latin
robur
“Strength, authority, and the hardest or strongest timber”
Old French
Old French
robuste
“Strong, sturdy, vigorous”
Modern English
English
robust
“Strong, healthy, or resilient”