different between massive vs sturdy

English

Etymology

From Middle English massif, from Middle French massif. The Irish sense is possibly derived from Irish mas (“fine, handsome”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?mæs.?v/
• Rhymes: -æs?v

Adjective

massive (comparative more massive, superlative most massive)

1. Very large in size or extent
2. Very large or bulky and heavy and solid
3. (informal) To a very great extent; total, utter.
   • 2007, Christine Conrad, Mademoiselle Benoir (page 171)

     Notwithstanding Catherine's assurances, I was apprehensive about meeting Denys, worried that I would come off as a massive idiot […]

4. (colloquial) Of particularly exceptional quality or value; awesome.
5. (colloquial, informal, Ireland) outstanding, beautiful

   Your dress is massive, love. Where did you get it?

6. (medicine) Affecting a large portion of the body, or severe.

7. (physics) Having a large mass
8. (physics, of a particle) Possessing mass.

9. (geology) Homogenous, unstructured
   1. (mineralogy) Not having an obvious crystalline structure.

Synonyms

• (of or pertaining to a large mass): bulky, heavy, hefty, substantial, weighty
• (much larger than normal): colossal, enormous, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, great, huge, mahoosive (slang), titanic
• (of great significance or import): consequential, meaningful, overwhelming, significant, weighty
• (of grandeur): awesome, super, excellent, stupendous

Antonyms

• (of or pertaining to a large mass): insubstantial, light
• (much larger than normal): dwarf, little, microscopic, midget, minuscule, pint-sized, tiny, wee
• (of great significance or import): inconsequential, insignificant, piddling, trifling, trivial, unimportant
• (of grandeur): lame, stale, disappointing, crappy
• (of having nonzero mass): massless

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

massive (plural massives)

1. (mineralogy) A homogeneous mass of rock, not layered and without an obvious crystal structure.

   karst massives in western Georgia

2. (MLE, slang) A group of people from a locality, or sharing a collective aim, interest, etc.

   Big up to the Croydon massive!

Anagrams

• mavises

French

Adjective

massive

1. feminine singular of massif

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

massive

1. inflection of massiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Adjective

massive

1. feminine plural of massivo

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

massive

1. definite singular of massiv
2. plural of massiv

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

massive

1. definite singular of massiv
2. plural of massiv

English

Etymology

From Middle English sturdy, stourdy, stordy (“bold, valiant, strong, stern, fierce, rebellious”) (perhaps influenced by Middle English sture, stoure, stor (“strong, robust, harsh, stern, violent, fierce, sturdy”); see English stour), from Old French estourdi (“dazed”), form of estourdir, originally “to daze, to make tipsy (almost drunk)” (Modern French étourdir (“to daze, to make tipsy”)), from Vulgar Latin *exturdire. Latin etymology is unclear – presumably it is ex- + turdus (“thrush (bird)”), but how this should mean “daze” is unclear. A speculative theory is that thrushes eat leftover winery grapes and thus became drunk, but this meets with objections.

Disease in cows and sheep is by extension of sense of “daze”, while sense of “strongly built” is of late 14th century, and relationship to earlier sense is less clear, perhaps from sense of a firm strike (causing a daze) or a strong, violent person.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?st??di/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?st?rdi/
• Rhymes: -??(r)di

Adjective

sturdy (comparative sturdier, superlative sturdiest)

1. Of firm build; stiff; stout; strong.
   • 1657, Henry Wotton, Characters of some Kings of England

     He was not of any delicate contexture; his limbs rather sturdy then dainty.

2. Solid in structure or person.

3. (obsolete) Foolishly obstinate or resolute; stubborn.

   • This must be done, and I would fain see / Mortal so sturdy as to gainsay.

   • October 28, 1705, Francis Atterbury, a sermon

     A sturdy, hardened sinner shall advance to the utmost pitch of impiety with less reluctance than he took the first steps.

4. Resolute, in a good sense; or firm, unyielding quality.

Synonyms

• hardy

Translations

Noun

sturdy (uncountable)

1. A disease in sheep and cattle, caused by a tapeworm and marked by great nervousness or by dullness and stupor.

Synonyms

• gid

Derived terms

• sturdied

Translations

References

• sturdy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.