The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; the ability of a substance to spring back into shape.
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Latin17th centurywell-attested
From Latin 'resilientem,' the present participle of 'resilīre' (to spring back, to rebound, to bounce back from compression), composed of 're-' (back, again) + 'salīre' (to jump, to leap, to spring), from PIE *sel- (to jump, to spring). Resilience is literally 'jumping back' — the elastic return of a body to its original shape after deformation or pressure. The PIEroot *sel- produced 'salient' (prominent, springing
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'Resilience,' 'assault,' 'insult,' 'result,' 'exult,' and 'salmon' allcome from Latin 'salīre' (to jump). Resilience is jumping-back. An assault is jumping-at. An insult is jumping-on. A result is jumping-again (bouncing back — an outcome). To exult is to jump-out (with joy). And salmonare
salient(English (from Latin salire, leaping forward — same root))salmon(English (from Latin salmo, the leaping fish — same salire))sally(English (a leap or sortie, from French saillie, Latin salire))somersault(English (from French soubresaut, over-leap — same root))assault(English (from Latin assalire, ad + salire, leap upon))insult(English (from Latin insultare, to leap on — same salire))