robust

[roh-buhst, roh-buhst] /roʊˈbʌst, ˈroʊ bʌst/
adjective
1.
strong and healthy; hardy; vigorous:
a robust young man; a robust faith; a robust mind.
2.
strongly or stoutly built:
his robust frame.
3.
suited to or requiring bodily strength or endurance:
robust exercise.
4.
rough, rude, or boisterous:
robust drinkers and dancers.
5.
rich and full-bodied:
the robust flavor of freshly brewed coffee.
6.
strong and effective in all or most situations and conditions: The system requires robust passwords that contain at least one number or symbol.
Our goal is to devise robust statistical methods.
Origin
1540-50; < Latin rōbustus oaken, hard, strong, equivalent to rōbus-, stem of rōbur oak, strength + -tus adj. suffix
Related forms
robustly, adverb
robustness, noun
unrobust, adjective
unrobustly, adverb
unrobustness, noun
Synonyms
1. powerful, sound. 4. coarse, rambunctious.
Antonyms
1. feeble. 2. weak.
Examples from the web for robust
  • Flavorful ginger, garlic and a medley of spices produce a robust heat, while also providing an array of health benefits.
  • Sweet apricots and aromatic spices combine with chicken and chickpeas for a hearty meal that's robust with flavor.
  • Sauropods did not have robust batteries of molars to chew their food.
  • Lifeguards attribute the stinging streak in part to an unusually robust population of lion's mane jellies.
  • The result has only become more robust as additional archaic birds and non-avian feathered dinosaurs have been found.
  • After a month or so on a strengthening diet, he felt robust enough to try a few steps.
  • It had a long jaw full of huge teeth and robust forearms tipped in large claws.
  • Still, there was always something robust and manly in the tone they adopted.
  • But his robust good sense, his regard for strict accuracy and his determination to be understood, make him an interesting writer.
  • We are creating a nation once again vibrant, robust, and alive.
British Dictionary definitions for robust

robust

/rəʊˈbʌst; ˈrəʊbʌst/
adjective
1.
strong in constitution; hardy; vigorous
2.
sturdily built: a robust shelter
3.
requiring or suited to physical strength: a robust sport
4.
(esp of wines) having a rich full-bodied flavour
5.
rough or boisterous
6.
(of thought, intellect, etc) straightforward and imbued with common sense
Derived Forms
robustly, adverb
Word Origin
C16: from Latin rōbustus, from rōbur an oak, strength
Word Origin and History for robust
adj.

1540s, from Middle French robuste (14c.) and directly from Latin robustus "strong and hardy," literally "as strong as oak," originally "oaken," from robur, robus "hard timber, strength," also "a special kind of oak," named for its reddish heartwood, from Latin ruber "red" (cf. robigo "rust"), from PIE *reudh- (see red (adj.1)). Related: Robustly; robustness. Robustious (1540s) was a common form in 17c. (cf. "Hamlet" iii.2); it fell from use by mid-18c., but was somewhat revived by mid-19c. antiquarian writers.

robust in Technology


Said of a system that has demonstrated an ability to recover gracefully from the whole range of exceptional inputs and situations in a given environment. One step below bulletproof. Carries the additional connotation of elegance in addition to just careful attention to detail. Compare smart, opposite: brittle.
[Jargon File]