Added 9 October 2026
arduous
/ˈɑː.djʊ.əs/ adjective
Latin root: arduus Wiktionary
adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about arduous at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort.
worked their arduous way up the mining valley
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Taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance.
his final, straining burst of speed
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Difficult to accomplish; demanding considerable mental effort and skill.
the arduous work of preparing a dictionary
Origin
From Latin arduus (“lofty, high, steep, hard to reach, difficult, laborious”), akin to Irish ard (“high”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)