English vocabulary · C1
Pertinacious
/ˌpɜːrtɪˈneɪʃəs/ · adj.
It means you keep trying, even when others say no. You hold on and never stop.
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Example sentences
- She was pertinacious,asking every day until they said yes.
- His pertinacious effort finally won the case.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- per — through (from Latin)
- ten — hold (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- STUBBORN — will not change mind (Refuses to Change)
- TENACIOUS — grips goal tightly (Holds On Firmly)
- DOGGED — persistent without drama (Keeps Going Quietly)
Words with the same root
ten — hold
- tenacious — holding on firmly; not giving up
- retain — keep hold of something
- tenacity — the quality of holding on firmly
Lesson notes
Pertinacious. It means you keep trying, even when others say no. You hold on and never stop.
Similar words are stubborn, tenacious, and dogged. Use pertinacious when someone keeps going long after most people would stop.
She was pertinacious, asking every day until they said yes. His pertinacious effort finally won the case.
From Latin. Per- means through. Ten- means hold. Hold through everything without letting go - that is pertinacious.