n.
Pronunciation: ' ri-g ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English rigour, from Anglo-French, from Latin rigor, literally, stiffness, from rig ē re 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