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obstreperous

[ uhb-strep-er-uhs ]
/ əbˈstrɛp ər əs /
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adjective

resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.

RELATED WORDS

boisterous, clamorous, disorderly, loud, piercing, rambunctious, riotous, rowdy, unmanageable, unruly, uproarious, vociferous, wild, booming, blusterous, screaming, strepitous

Nearby words

  1. obstinacy,
  2. obstinance,
  3. obstinate,
  4. obstinately,
  5. obstipation,
  6. obstruct,
  7. obstructed testis,
  8. obstruction,
  9. obstructionism,
  10. obstructionist

Origin of obstreperous

1590–1600; < Latin obstreperus clamorous, akin to obstrepere to make a noise at (ob- ob- + strepere to rattle); see -ous
Related formsob·strep·er·ous·ly, adverbob·strep·er·ous·ness, ob·strep·e·ros·i·ty [uhb-strep-uh-ros-i-tee] /əbˌstrɛp əˈrɒs ɪ ti/, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for obstreperous

British Dictionary definitions for obstreperous

obstreperous

/ (əbˈstrɛpərəs) /

adjective

noisy or rough, esp in resisting restraint or control
Derived Formsobstreperously, adverbobstreperousness, noun

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for obstreperous

obstreperous

adj.

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