recalcitrant
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Related to recalcitrant: obstinately
re·cal·ci·trant
(rĭ-kăl′sĭ-trənt)adj.
1. Stubbornly resistant to or defiant of authority or guidance. See Synonyms at obstinate.
2. Difficult to manage or deal with: a recalcitrant problem.
3. Resistant to chemical decomposition; decomposing extremely slowly.
n.
A recalcitrant person.
[Late Latin recalcitrāns, recalcitrant-, present participle of recalcitrāre, to be disobedient, from Latin, to deny access : re-, re- + calcitrāre, to kick (from calx, calc-, heel).]
re·cal′ci·trance, re·cal′ci·tran·cy n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
recalcitrant
(rɪˈkælsɪtrənt)adj
not susceptible to control or authority; refractory
n
a recalcitrant person
[C19: via French from Latin recalcitrāre, from re- + calcitrāre to kick, from calx heel]
reˈcalcitrance n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
re•cal•ci•trant
(rɪˈkæl sɪ trənt)adj.
1. resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant: a recalcitrant prisoner.
2. hard to deal with, manage, or operate.
n. 3. a recalcitrant person.
[1835–45; < Latin recalcitrant-, s. of recalcitrāns, present participle of recalcitrāre to kick back]
re•cal′ci•trance, re•cal′ci•tran•cy, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
recalcitrant
- Comes from Latin recalcitrare, "kick out with the heels," from calx, "heel."See also related terms for heels.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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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" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
recalcitrant
adjective disobedient, contrary, unwilling, defiant, stubborn, wayward, unruly, uncontrollable, intractable, wilful, obstinate, unmanageable, ungovernable, refractory, insubordinate, contumacious a recalcitrant child of an unhappy mother
obedient, compliant, amenable, submissive, docile
obedient, compliant, amenable, submissive, docile
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
recalcitrant
adjective1. Marked by defiance:
2. Not submitting to discipline or control:
disorderly, fractious, indocile, intractable, lawless, obstinate, obstreperous, refractory, uncontrollable, undisciplined, ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly, untoward, wild.
Idiom: out of line.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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