WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
per•ti•nac•i•ty
(pûr′tn as′i tē),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025- the quality of being pertinacious;
persistence.
- Late Latin pertinācitās, for Latin pertinācia stubbornness, perseverance (
obsolete pertinacy), equivalent. to pertināci- (stem of pertināx) steadfast, stubborn + -tās -ty2. See per-, tenacity - 1495–1505
- firmness, determination, resolution. See perseverance.
per•ti•na•cious /ˌpɜrtəˈneɪʃəs/USA pronunciation
adj.
per•ti•nac•i•ty /ˌpɜrtənˈæsɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]See -tain-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- holding tightly to a purpose, course of action, or opinion; resolute:a pertinacious investigator who pursued every lead.
per•ti•nac•i•ty /ˌpɜrtənˈæsɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]See -tain-.
per•ti•na•cious
(pûr′tn ā′shəs),USA pronunciation adj.
per′ti•na′cious•ly, adv.
per′ti•na′cious•ness, n.
- holding tenaciously to a purpose, course of action, or opinion;
resolute. - stubborn or obstinate.
- extremely or objectionably persistent:a pertinacious salesman from whom I could not escape.
- pertinaci(ty) + -ous 1620–30
per′ti•na′cious•ness, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged persevering.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged dogged.
'pertinacity' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):