I.strong, staunch, stout, sturdy; c. inf., καρτερὸς ἐναίρειν strong to kill, Il.; τὰ καρτερώτατα the strongest, Soph.
2.c. gen. possessed of a thing, lord or master of it, Theogn., Theocr.
3.like καρτερικός, steadfast, patient, πρὸς πάντα Xen.: obstinate, Plat.
4.of things, strong, mighty, potent, ὅρκος Il.; κ. ἔργα deeds of might, id=Il.; κ. μάχη strongly contested, desperate, Hdt., Thuc.; —τὸ καρτερόν, τόλμης τὸ κ. the extremity of daring, Eur.:— κατὰ τὸ καρτερόν by force, Hdt., Ar., etc.; so, πρὸς τὸ καρτερόν Aesch.; τὸ καρτερόν, absol., Theocr.
5.of place, like ὀχυρός, strong, Thuc.; τὸ καρτερώτερον τοῦ χωρίου id=Thuc.
III.the common comp. and Sup. are κρείσσων and κράτιστος (qq. v.): but the regular forms καρτερώτερος, -ώτατος, occur now and then, Pind., attic