Final answer:
Robust means being strong, healthy, and able to withstand tough conditions. It can describe physical strength in people, durability in objects, or resilience in systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word robust means strong, healthy, and hardy in constitution. When something is described as robust, it is durable, solid, and capable of withstanding stressful conditions. The word can be used in various contexts to convey a sense of strength and resilience, whether referring to objects, systems, or living beings.
For example, in literature, robust can be used to describe a character who is physically strong and vigorous, as in the description of a character being 'stout as a horse' or 'well entretied, braced in the beams,' suggesting a person who is dependably strong. In history, the term might be applied to a person of distinction who has a robust constitution, much like the Roman equestrian Robustus mentioned in the Letters of Pliny the Younger.