Main Entry: rig·or

Pronunciation: \ˈri-gər\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English rigour, from Anglo-French, from Latin rigor, literally, stiffness, from rigēre to be stiff

Date: 14th century

1 a (1) : harsh inflexibility in opinion, temper, or judgment : severity (2) : the quality of being unyielding or inflexible : strictness (3) : severity of life : austerity b : an act or instance of strictness, severity, or cruelty
2 : a tremor caused by a chill
3 : a condition that makes life difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable; especially : extremity of cold
4 : strict precision : exactness <logical rigor>
5 a obsolete : rigidity, stiffness b : rigidness or torpor of organs or tissue that prevents response to stimuli c : rigor mortis