resilience
UK: rɪˈzɪlɪəns | US: rɪˈzɪlɪəns
n. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness
n. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity
resilience = re<back> + sil<leap> + ience<noun suffix>
- re: Latin prefix meaning "back" or "again."
- sil: From Latin salire, meaning "to leap" or "to jump."
- ience: Noun-forming suffix indicating a state or quality.
Etymology Origin:
The word resilience traces back to Latin resilire ("to leap back"), combining re- (back) and salire (to jump). Originally used in physics to describe materials springing back to shape, it later evolved metaphorically to describe human adaptability and recovery. The core idea of "rebounding" unites both literal and figurative meanings.
Her resilience helped her overcome numerous setbacks in her career.
The resilience of rubber makes it ideal for shock absorption.
Communities showed remarkable resilience after the natural disaster.
Psychological resilience is key to coping with stress.
The material lost its resilience after prolonged exposure to heat.