adamantine
Americanadjective
-
utterly unyielding or firm in attitude or opinion.
-
too hard to cut, break, or pierce.
-
like a diamond in luster.
adjective
-
very hard; unbreakable or unyielding
-
having the lustre of a diamond
Etymology
Origin of adamantine
First recorded in 1200–1250; Middle English, from Latin adamantinus, from Greek adamántinos adamant, -ine 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although in her youth Catherine had imbibed Enlightenment views about the suffering of the common people, she was pragmatic enough to leave undisturbed the adamantine ways of the Russian countryside.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Amid the images of Putin’s atrocities, we’ve all seen evidence of the Ukrainians’ adamantine humor.
From Washington Post • Apr. 1, 2022
Akira is not so much an obstacle, then, as he is a diamond in the rough, a permanent part of Takiko and her adamantine resolve to live on her own terms.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2022
This exhibition reminds us how early she found her voice, while the belated book reveals her adamantine pursuit of its implications.
From New York Times • Apr. 30, 2020
“The haunting begins at midnight,” said the girl with the adamantine chin.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
