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renitent

[ri-nahyt-nt, ren-i-tuh nt]
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adjective
  1. resisting pressure; resistant.
  2. persistently opposing; recalcitrant.
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Origin of renitent

1695–1705; < Latin renītent- (stem of renītēns), present participle of renītī to resist, equivalent to re- re- + nīt(ī) to strive, make an effort + -ent- -ent
Related formsre·ni·ten·cy, re·ni·tence, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

contrarydefiantdisobedientopposingrebelliousresistingresistiveunyielding
British Dictionary definitions for renitent

renitent

adjective rare
  1. reluctant; recalcitrant
  2. not flexible
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Derived Formsrenitence or renitency, noun

Word Origin

C18: from Latin renītī to strive afresh, from re- + nītī to endeavour
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