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Origin and history of arduous

arduous(adj.)

1530s, "hard to accomplish, difficult to do, attended with much labor," from Latin arduus "high, steep," also figuratively, "difficult, hard to reach" (from PIE root *eredh- "high;" for which see ortho-). The literal sense of "high, steep, difficult to climb" is attested in English from 1709. Related: Arduously; arduousness.

What is arduous requires more energy and endurance, and is less within the reach of common powers, than what is hard. Its primitive meaning of steep climbing is still felt in it, and makes it suggestive of severe and protracted effort. [Century Dictionary]

also from 1530s

Entries linking to arduous

ardurous(adj.)

"full of ardor," 1770, perhaps a variant of arduous with overtones of ardor. Useful only to poets, and, as it is first attested in Chatterton, perhaps a faux medievalism.

ortho-

before vowels orth-, word-forming element meaning "straight, upright, rectangular, regular; true, correct, proper," now mostly in scientific and technical compounds, from Greek orthos "straight, true, correct, regular," from PIE *eredh- "high" (source also of Sanskrit urdhvah "high, lofty, steep," Latin arduus "high, steep," Old Irish ard "high").

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    hard
    Old English heard "solid and firm, not soft," also, "difficult to endure, carried on with great exertion," also, of persons, "severe, rigorous, harsh, cruel," from Proto-Germanic *hardu- (source also of Old Saxon hard, Old Frisian herd, Dutch hard, Old Norse harðr "hard," Old Hig
    strenuous
    "characterized by great effort," mid-15c. (implied in strenuously), from Latin strenuus "active, brisk, quick, nimble, prompt, vigorous, keen." It is probably cognate with Greek strēnes, strēnos "keen, strong," strenos "arrogance, eager desire," Old English stierne "hard, severe,
    heavy
    Old English hefig "heavy, having much weight; important, grave; oppressive; slow, dull," from Proto-Germanic *hafiga "containing something; having weight" (source also of Old Saxon, Old High German hebig, Old Norse hofugr, Middle Dutch hevich, Dutch hevig), from PIE root *kap- "t
    laborious
    late 14c., "hard-working, industrious," from Old French laborios "arduous, wearisome; hard-working" (12c., Modern French...
    travail
    "labor, toil," mid-13c., from Old French travail "work, labor, toil, suffering or painful effort, trouble; arduous journey...
    adventurous
    The adventurous man incurs risks from love of the novel, the arduous, and the bold, trusting to escape through the use of...
    strong
    Old English strang "physically powerful, powerful in effect; forceful, severe, firm, bold, brave; constant, resolute; arduous...
    posh
    by 1914 (1903 as push), a word of uncertain origin, but there is no evidence for the common derivation from an acronym of port outward, starboard home, supposedly the shipboard accommodations of wealthy British traveling to India on the P & O Lines (to keep their cabins out o
    adamant
    late 14c., "hard, unbreakable," from adamant (n.). The figurative sense of "unshakeable" (in belief, etc.) is by 1670s. Related: Adamantly; adamance...."a very hard stone," mid-14c., adamant, adamaunt, from Old French adamant "diamond; magnet" or directly from Latin adamantem (no
    Anglo-Saxon
    Old English Angli Saxones (plural), from Latin Anglo-Saxones, in which Anglo- is an adjective, thus literally "English Saxons," as opposed to those of the Continent (now called Old Saxons). Properly in reference to the Saxons of ancient Wessex, Essex, Middlesex, and Sussex. I am

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