Ruggedises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Strengthens equipment or a structure so it can withstand harsh conditions and rough handling
2. Toughens an object or design so that it becomes more robust and able to endure hard use
3. Hardens a product against damage by reinforcing its construction for demanding environments

Etymology: "Ruggedises" is the third-person singular form of "ruggedise", a verb meaning to make something rugged. The verb is built from the adjective "rugged" plus the suffix "-ise", which English borrowed through Middle French from Late Latin "-izare", itself taken from Ancient Greek "-izein". That Greek ending was used to form verbs from nouns and adjectives, so "-ise" carries the sense of "to make into" or "to cause to become". The adjective "rugged" has its own roots in the Middle English "rugge", meaning shaggy or rough, which is why the core idea of the word is uneven or coarse surface. Adding "-ise" turns that quality into an action: to roughen, toughen, or shape something so that it becomes rugged.

Synonyms: toughen, harden, fortify

Antonyms: weaken, soften