harden
UK[ˈhɑːd(ə)n]US[ˈhɑːrd(ə)n]
v
to become firm, stiff, or solid, or to make something become firm, stiff, or solid
v
to become more severe, determined, or less sympathetic, or to make someone or something become this way
Morpheme Breakdown
hard
en
hard
firm, solid
en
verb-forming suffix
Etymology
the word 'harden' is a transparent formation from native english elements. its core, 'hard', descends from the proto-germanic harduz, which itself derives from the proto-indo-european root kert- meaning 'hard'. the old english verb suffix '-en' (from '-nian') was productively used to form verbs from adjectives, indicating a process of becoming or making. thus, the literal construction 'to make hard' perfectly captures the word's primary physical meaning. over time, this concrete sense was naturally extended metaphorically to describe the process of becoming emotionally resilient, severe, or unyielding.
Analysis
Structure: hard (firm, solid) + en (verb-forming suffix)
- hard: from old english 'heard', meaning solid, firm, severe. functions as the core adjective root.
- en: from old english '-nian', a verb-forming suffix meaning 'to become or make'.
Examples
the clay will harden in the sun.
his attitude seemed to harden after the criticism.
the experience hardened her resolve to succeed.