Arduous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɑː.djuː.əs/

Definitions

1. Demanding exceptional physical or mental exertion and perseverance to complete successfully
2. Involving strenuous labor or struggle that tests one's strength and resolve
3. Needing considerable effort and stamina to carry out or finish

Etymology: The Latin "arduus" originally described something physically high and steep, a hill or cliff that was hard to climb. Its sense of "difficult" grew out of that image: the effort of getting up a steep slope became the model for any laborious undertaking. That shift from literal height to metaphorical hardship is the heart of the word's story. The Latin root is related to the Irish "ard," meaning "high," which shows how far back this concept of elevation runs in the Indo-European languages. English took the word directly from Latin, so it carries the Latin meaning of toil and steepness rather than passing through French first.

Synonyms: difficult, challenging, strenuous, tiring, exhausting

Antonyms: easy, simple, effortless, light, manageable