recusant

[ rek-yuh-zuhnt, ri-kyoo-zuhnt ]
See synonyms for: recusantrecusants on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. refusing to submit, comply, etc.

  2. obstinate in refusal.

  1. English History. refusing to attend services of the Church of England.

noun
  1. a person who is recusant.

  2. English History. a person, especially a Roman Catholic, who refused to attend the services of the Church of England.

Origin of recusant

1
1545–55; <Latin recūsant- (stem of recūsāns), present participle of recusāre to demur, object, equivalent to re-re- + -cūsāre, verbal derivative of causacause; see -ant

Other words from recusant

  • un·rec·u·sant, adjective

Words Nearby recusant

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How to use recusant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for recusant

recusant

/ (ˈrɛkjʊzənt) /


noun
  1. (in 16th to 18th century England) a Roman Catholic who did not attend the services of the Church of England, as was required by law

  2. any person who refuses to submit to authority

adjective
  1. (formerly, of Catholics) refusing to attend services of the Church of England

  2. refusing to submit to authority

Origin of recusant

1
C16: from Latin recūsāns refusing, from recūsāre from re- + causārī to dispute, from causa a cause

Derived forms of recusant

  • recusance or recusancy, noun

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