stamina

noun

stam·​i·​na ˈsta-mə-nə 

1

: the bodily or mental capacity to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity : endurance

a workout program that builds strength and stamina

These horses are bred for speed and stamina.

The use of pharmaceuticals to enhance memory, focus, and mental stamina in healthy brains is known generally as cognitive enhancement …

—Paul McFedries

2

: the moral or emotional strength to continue with a difficult process, effort, etc. : staying power

The network of obligations to family and community underpinned the soldier's moral stamina …

—Joseph Allan Frank

Examples of stamina in a Sentence

Do you have the stamina to finish the job?

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s the challenge right now – building stamina. —David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025

Leadership takes energy, stamina and mental clarity, so every CEO should have a physician, a dentist and even specialists like a nutritionist or therapist in their wellness corner. —Nancy Padberg, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Not that the executive chef of the Aman Venice hotel, one of the city’s most exclusive hospitality addresses, lacks stamina. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025

Research like Kovacs’ has shown the negative impact fatigue has on hitting accuracy – and this was five-and-a-half hours of the best physicality and mental stamina on display. —Julia Andersen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, plural of stamen warp, thread of life spun by the Fates

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stamina

• lamina

Kids Definition

stamina

noun

stam·​i·​na ˈstam-ə-nə 

: vigor sense 1, endurance

Medical Definition

stamina

noun

stam·​i·​na ˈstam-ə-nə 

: the strength or vigor of bodily constitution : capacity for standing fatigue or resisting disease

restoration of weight, strength and stamina following recovery from major surgery

—The Journal of the American Medical Association