What is the Latin word for strength?

The usual Latin words for “strength” are volō, vīs, rōbur; also nervus, lacertus, virtūs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“strength” in Latin

volōto wish, to please; to want; to mean, to intend vīsstrength; might; vigor; capability (physical)rōbura tough-wooded oak tree; hardness; strength nervusa cord, string, thong or wire; the leather with which shields were covered; a fiber lacertusThe muscular part of the upper arm, including the shoulder, biceps, and triceps.; The arm.; A muscle.virtūsmanhood, manliness, virility; courage, valor, resoluteness, gallantry; virtue, goodness efficācitāsefficiency, efficacy, power efficiōto make out or work out; effect, execute, complete, accomplish, make, form, compose; to cause to occur, to bring about, potentiaforce, power, might; ability, capacity; political power, authority, influence, sway opsstrength, power, power to help, property; resources, wealth, riches; assistance, help, aid, support

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

strength

Force, vis; vires, plur., (power): robur (physical ability to endure toil, etc.): nervi: lacerti (muscular powers, for work). Exertion of strength, contentio; labor; virium contentio: to possess great strength, bonis esse viribus; viribus pollere (Sall.): with all my strength, as far as my strength permits, pro meis viribus (☞ not pro virili parte); omnibus viribus; viribus; ut possum; ut potero; quantum in me, in mea potestate, situm est; quantum per vires licet: thai is beyond my strength, hoc excedit virium mearum modum; hoc superat vires meas; hoc facere, efficere, non possum: to lose strength, vires amittere (Cic.): my strength fails me, vires me deficiunt (Caes.): to gather strength, vires colligere (Cic., Liv.); viribus firmari, augeri, crescere (after Cic.): to recover one’s strength, vires recolligere (Plin.), recuperare (Tac.), revocare (Cic.), convalescere (to recover from sickness): to put forth one’s strength, contendere nervos, vires: to try one’s strength, vires suas exercere; nervos atque vires experiri: strength of mind, vis, vires, robur animi; nervi mentis.

Efficacy, vis: virtus: efficacitas: efficientia.

Civil or military power or influence, vis: potentia: opes; plur., copiae, facultates (for war).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for strength?: The usual Latin words for “strength” are volō, vīs, rōbur; also nervus, lacertus, virtūs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.