Studs are the vertical wooden or metal boards that form the frame inside walls. If you've ever seen a house being built, those upright boards spaced evenly apart before the drywall goes up are studs. When you hang a heavy mirror or shelf, you want to find a stud in the wall because it's much stronger than just the thin drywall.

In casual speech, people sometimes call someone a stud to mean they're impressive or talented, like a star athlete who leads their team to victory.

You might also see the word describing small decorative fasteners, like the metal studs on a denim jacket, or the small earrings called stud earrings that sit flat against the earlobe.