2 syllables: har, dy. Stress on har.
HAHR-dee
/ˈhɑɹdi/
hardy is pronounced HAHR-dee (/ˈhɑɹdi/). It has two syllables (har-dy), with the stress on "har". Hardy denotes physical or mental robustness, capable of enduring difficult conditions. It can describe people, plants, or objects that withstand hardship, with a connotation of resilience and stamina. In everyday use it often signals steadiness under strain or the ability to thrive amid adversity.
Hardy denotes physical or mental robustness, capable of enduring difficult conditions. It can describe people, plants, or objects that withstand hardship, with a connotation of resilience and stamina. In everyday use it often signals steadiness under strain or the ability to thrive amid adversity.
"- The hardy climber pressed on despite the cold wind and rock scrambles."
"- These hardy perennial plants survive freezing winters and hot summers."
"- The team showed hardy determination after the setback."
Pronounce HAR-dy with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: ˈhɑːr.di. Start with an open back unrounded vowel in the first syllable, then a voiced alveolar approximant /ɹ/ in US/UK blends, followed by a clear /d/ and the final /i/ as a short, crisp 'ee' vowel. In careful speech, the /r/ is pronounced in rhotic accents, and in some UK varieties you may hear a lighter rhotic or non-rhotic feel; keep the first syllable sturdy. Audio reference: consider listening to pronunciations on Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries for precise regional variants.
Common errors include flattening the vowel in the first syllable (sound like ‘hardi’ with a lax /æ/), pronouncing the second syllable as a full vowel instead of a quick /di/ or misplacing the /r/ in non-rhotic contexts. Another frequent slip is de-emphasizing the /r/ in American accents or over-drawing the /d/ resulting in a clipped second syllable. To correct: articulate the first syllable with /ɑː/ (or /ɑr/ in rhotic dialects) and keep the second syllable as a short /di/ with a light, quick end.
In US and Canada, you’ll hear rhotic /ɹ/ in both syllables and a clear /ɑː/ in the first vowel: ˈhɑːr.di. UK speakers may have a slightly tighter vowel in the first syllable and could reduce the r-color in non-rhotic contexts in casual speech, producing something close to ˈhɑːd.i with a less pronounced /r/. Australian English keeps the /ɹ/ rhotic in careful speech but may exhibit a more centralized or closer first vowel, approximating ˈhɑːd.i with a quick, clipped second syllable. IPA notes: US/UK/AU commonly use ˈhɑːr.di, with subtle regional vowel shifts.
The difficulty often comes from the delicate balance between a broad, open first vowel and the abrupt release into the /r/ or /d/ plus a brief final /i/. In non-rhotic UK accents, the /r/ may be silent or lightly pronounced, which changes the rhythm and can confuse learners who expect a pronounced /r/. The second syllable stress and rapid transition between /r/ or /d/ and /i/ also challenge learners, especially when aiming for a natural flow in connected speech.
Hardy features a strong first-syllable nucleus with a following compact second syllable. Common search-specific queries include 'is hardy pronounced with a silent r in some dialects?' which is answered by acknowledging that r is pronounced in rhotic dialects and often silent or weak in some non-rhotic varieties, depending on register. The important detail is keeping the first syllable long and the second syllable light and brief, with a crisp /d/ before the final /i/. IPA: ˈhɑːr.di.
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Hardy comes from the Old French herde, later related to hard and hardy meaning ‘bold, hardy, strong’ in Middle English. Its sense expanded in the Early Modern English period to describe durability and strength of constitution, both physical and moral. The word is historically tied to endurance, fortitude, and stubborn perseverance. The root likely lies in Proto-Germanic *hardaz* meaning ‘hard, tough, severe,’ which also underpins English hard, hazard, and hardship. First attested in the 13th century in various forms signifying strength or stoutness, hardy evolved to describe things that can endure difficult conditions, as well as people with steady, steadfast qualities. Over centuries, its usage broadened to include hardy plants and animals, reflecting the sense of weather resistance and survival across environments. In modern usage, hardy frequently appears in everyday speech and motivational contexts, emphasizing resilience rather than mere physical strength alone.
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Words that rhyme with "hardy"
-rdy sounds
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