obstreperous
[ uhb-strep-er-uhs ]
/ əbˈstrɛp ər əs /
adjective
resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.
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Wednesday Winner: ObstreperousToday’s Word of the Day was chosen by a few people including Donna S. of Bossier City, LA who said, “I find it interesting and it is a word I find myself using related to my children and my spouse.” Annette C. of Eagle Bay, NY and Charles H. of Silver Creek GA both said obstreperous is rarely used. Samuel A. of Lagos, Nigeria likes …
RELATED WORDS
boisterous, clamorous, disorderly, loud, piercing, rambunctious, riotous, rowdy, unmanageable, unruly, uproarious, vociferous, wild, booming, blusterous, screaming, strepitous
Nearby words
- obstinacy,
- obstinance,
- obstinate,
- obstinately,
- obstipation,
- obstruct,
- obstructed testis,
- obstruction,
- obstructionism,
- obstructionist
Origin of obstreperous
SYNONYMS FOR obstreperous
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for obstreperous
obstreperous
/ (əbˈstrɛpərəs) /
adjective
noisy or rough, esp in resisting restraint or control
Word Origin for obstreperous
C16: from Latin, from obstrepere, from ob- against + strepere to roar
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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obstreperous
c.1600, from Latin obstreperus "clamorous," from obstrepere "drown with noise, make a noise against, oppose noisily," from ob "against" (see ob-) + strepere "make a noise," from PIE *strep-, said to be imitative (cf. Latin stertare "to snore," Old Norse þrapt "chattering," Old English þræft "quarrel"). Related: Obstreperously; obstreperousness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper