strength

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US [st̠͡ɹ̠ɛŋkθ] UK /stɹɛŋ(k)θ/ See IPA manual

Freq #1494

Meanings

1

noun
The physical power that lets you do hard things like lifting.

It takes great strength to carry such heavy bags.
2

noun
A good quality or ability that someone or something has.

Patience is one of her greatest strengths as a teacher.
3

noun
How strong or powerful a force, feeling, or substance is.

They underestimated the strength of the storm.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

ability asset capability expertise forte fortitude main potency power

Word family

Forms strengths

Derived forms bandstrengthfore-strengthfull-strengthindustrial-strengthlinestrengthmidstrengthoutstrengthoverstrengthstrengthen strengthening strengthful strengthless

Related forms strong strongly

Etymology

From Middle English strengthe, from Old English strengþu (“strength”), from Proto-West Germanic *strangiþu (“strongness; strength”), equivalent to strong + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Dutch strengte (“strength”), German Low German Strengde, Strengte (“harshness; rigidity; strictness; severity”).

*strengʰ- Proto-Indo-European strengthe Middle English strengþu Old English *strangiþu Proto-West Germanic

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External links

# strength

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** [st̠͡ɹ̠ɛŋkθ]
**IPA (UK):** /stɹɛŋ(k)θ/
**Frequency rank:** 1494

## Meanings
1. The physical power that lets you do hard things like lifting.
2. A good quality or ability that someone or something has.
3. How strong or powerful a force, feeling, or substance is.

## Examples
- It takes great strength to carry such heavy bags.
- Patience is one of her greatest strengths as a teacher.
- They underestimated the strength of the storm.

## Synonyms
- ability
- asset
- capability
- expertise
- forte
- fortitude
- main
- potency
- power

## Derived Forms
- bandstrength
- fore-strength
- full-strength
- industrial-strength
- linestrength
- midstrength
- outstrength
- overstrength
- strengthen
- strengthening
- strengthful
- strengthless

## Related Forms
- strong
- strongly

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *strengʰ-
- Root: strengthe
- Root: strengþu
- Root: *strangiþu
- Affix: -th - state

## Etymology
From Middle English strengthe, from Old English strengþu (“strength”), from Proto-West Germanic *strangiþu (“strongness; strength”), equivalent to strong + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Dutch strengte (“strength”), German Low German Strengde, Strengte (“harshness; rigidity; strictness; severity”).

## AI Etymology
Strength is from Middle English strengthe, from Old English strengþu (“strength”), from Proto-West Germanic *strangiþu (“strongness; strength”), equivalent to strong + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Dutch strengte (“strength”), German Low German Strengde, Strengte (“harshness; rigidity; strictness; severity”). In present-day use, it can mean the physical power that lets you do hard things like lifting, or a good quality or ability that someone or something has.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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strength

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