Etymology Map
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Rugged

3 stages from Swedish to English.

Today it means having a rough, uneven surface; strongly built and tough

Where does the word "rugged" come from? It comes from Swedish rugga, passing through Middle English before entering English (1600s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
rugga
Swedish · medieval
"to ruffle, make rough"
a Scandinavian verb for roughening or ruffling cloth, related to 'rug'
2
Stage 2 of 3
rugged
Middle English · 1300s
"shaggy, rough"
first described shaggy, rough-haired coats and animals
3
Stage 3 of 3
rugged
English · 1600s
"rough and uneven; tough"
extended to broken, rocky terrain and later to tough, weathered people
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Read the full story

Rugged’s story begins in Swedish: rugga meant “to ruffle, make rough.” A Scandinavian verb for roughening or ruffling cloth, related to 'rug'. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as rugged. First described shaggy, rough-haired coats and animals. It reached English by 1600s as rugged. Extended to broken, rocky terrain and later to tough, weathered people. Today, rugged means having a rough, uneven surface; strongly built and tough.