The word "resilient" is often misspelled due to its tricky pronunciation. It is pronounced /rɪˈzɪljənt/ (ri-ZIL-yent), with the stress on the second syllable. The letter "s" is followed by a silent "i," which can throw off spellers. The confusing "ie" vs "ei" spelling rule trips up many, but "resilient" follows the "i before e, except after c" rule. To remember the correct spelling, break it down phonetically: "ri" + "zil" + "yent."
Resilient is an adjective that describes the ability to recover quickly from difficult or challenging situations. It refers to the capacity to bounce back or adapt in the face of adversity, hardship, or setbacks.
When applied to individuals, resilience denotes their mental, emotional, and physical strength to cope with and recover from stress, trauma, or difficult life experiences. Resilient people possess a remarkable inner strength that allows them to face and overcome obstacles, setbacks, or failures. They have developed effective coping mechanisms, flexibility, and optimism, enabling them to handle challenges with composure and determination.
Resilient also applies to materials or objects that are capable of returning to their original shape or state after being bent, stretched, or compressed. This property is often associated with the physical strength and durability of such materials. In engineering and construction, resilient materials are highly sought after due to their ability to withstand external forces, including impacts, pressures, or loads, without sustaining permanent damage.
In systems or organizations, resilience refers to their capacity to adapt, recover, and thrive when subjected to stress or disruptions. Resilient systems have mechanisms, strategies, and contingency plans in place to absorb shocks, maintain operations, and eventually return to normal functioning. This quality is particularly valuable in fields like urban planning, disaster management, and cybersecurity.
Overall, being resilient implies being able to withstand and recover from adversity, whether on an individual, material, or organizational level.
Leaping or starting back; rebounding.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "resilient" has its origins in the Latin term "resiliens", which is the present participle of the verb "resilire". "Resilire" is derived from the prefix "re-" meaning "back" and "salire" meaning "to jump". Altogether, "resilire" can be translated as "to jump back" or "to rebound". The word "resilient" started being used in English in the mid-17th century and has since come to refer to the ability to recover or bounce back from difficult or challenging circumstances.