pertinacious
Americanadjective
-
holding tenaciously to a purpose, course of action, or opinion; resolute.
- Synonyms:
- persevering
-
stubborn or obstinate.
- Synonyms:
- dogged
-
extremely or objectionably persistent.
a pertinacious salesman from whom I could not escape.
adjective
-
doggedly resolute in purpose or belief; unyielding
-
stubbornly persistent
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of pertinacious
First recorded in 1620–30; pertinaci(ty) + -ous
Explanation
If you won’t take no for an answer, you’re pertinacious. The same holds true if you stubbornly push on a door despite a sign that says “pull.” Pertinacious means unyielding or perversely persistent. We get pertinacious from the Latin pertinax, which combines per-, "thoroughly," with tenax, "tenacious." You can impress your friends by dropping pertinacious into conversation when referring to anyone who is bullheaded and obstinately stuck in their ways and opinions. If a Girl Scout is a pertinacious salesperson you might buy fifty boxes of Thin Mints when you only wanted one.
Vocabulary lists containing pertinacious
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Resistance is Futile: Synonyms for "Stubborn"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Pertinacious, he tried other methods, and four years later perfected.
From Time Magazine Archive
Pertinacious, pėr-ti-nā′shus, adj. thoroughly tenacious: holding obstinately to an opinion or a purpose: obstinate: unyielding.—adv.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
House of Commons, Monday, January 10th.—In spite of sharp rebuke administered by Speaker last week the Pertinacious Pringle to the fore again—to be precise, to the Forward.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 150, January 19, 1916 by Seaman, Owen, Sir
THRAINN, the Pertinacious; from the v. thra, to desire vehemently.
From The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson by Saemund Sigfusson
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.
