n.
- The quality or condition of being hard.
- The relative resistance of a mineral to scratching, as measured by the Mohs scale.
- The relative resistance of a metal or other material to denting, scratching, or bending.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.