noun
stamina
STAM-ih-nuh/ˈstæmɪnə/
Ability to sustain physical or mental effort.
The runner's stamina sustains her steady pace along the long uphill trail.
Etymology
From Latin stamen, “thread,” stamina first named fundamental elements or supports. Applied to a person’s inborn vital capacities, it came to mean the strength that sustains effort and enables recovery.
In context
Training for strongman combines heavy lifting with endurance work, helping athletes build both maximum strength and stamina. Flexibility, mobility, and stamina are crucial, as many events demand both power and sustained effort.
More examples
- I lack the stamina to run five miles without stopping.
- Solving difficult problems all afternoon takes mental stamina.
- Her stamina improves as she gradually increases her training.
Similar words
- endurance
- Emphasizes lasting through hardship, discomfort, or prolonged effort.
- persistence
- Emphasizes continuing despite obstacles, rather than capacity for sustained effort.