Word of the Day 4.20.09
recalcitrant
re·cal·ci·trant (r
-k
l
s-tr
nt)
adj.
Marked by stubborn resistance to and defiance of authority or guidance. See Synonyms at unruly.
n.
A recalcitrant person.
[Late Latin recalcitr
ns, recalcitrant-, present participle of recalcitrre, to be disobedient, from Latin, to deny access : re-, re- + calcitrre, to kick (from calx, calc-, heel).]
re·calci·trance, re·calci·tran·cy n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
| Adj. | 1. | recalcitrant – stubbornly resistant to authority or control; “a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness”; “a refractory child”
disobedient – not obeying or complying with commands of those in authority; “disobedient children”
|
| 2. | recalcitrant – marked by stubborn resistance to authority; “the University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstrators”
defiant, noncompliant – boldly resisting authority or an opposing force; “brought up to be aggressive and defiant”; “a defiant attitude”
|