Word | pertinacious |
---|---|
Date | October 10, 2020 |
Type | adjective |
Syllables | per-tuh-NAY-shus |
Etymology | Remove the first syllable of pertinacious and say what remains out loud: you'll hear something that sounds a lot like the word tenacious, meaning "tending to adhere or cling." The similarity between pertinacious and tenacious isn't mere coincidence; both words derive from tenax, the Latin word for "tenacious," and ultimately from the verb tenēre, meaning "to hold." Another descendant of tenēre is tenure, a word that is typically used of the right to hold a job (especially a teaching position) for as long as desired. |
Examples | "In fact, the exorcism was quite ineffectual upon the pertinacious demon, or whatever the apparition might be." — Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Marble Faun, 1859 "Meldrum gave a convincing portrayal of the protagonist's downfall, from a pertinacious convict with goals and aspirations, to an increasingly fame-obsessed and ultimately unhappy free woman." — Jagnoor Saran, The Ottawa Citizen, 14 Dec. 2018 |
Definition | 1 a : adhering resolutely to an opinion, purpose, or design b : perversely persistent 2 : stubbornly tenacious |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.
Next card: Leitmotif noun word leitmotiv music drama recurring theme
Previous card: Shill verb shilled act october shil today employed
Up to card list: Word of the Day