English vocabulary · C1
Recalcitrant
/rɪˈkæl.sɪ.trənt/ · adj.
Recalcitrant means a person or animal that will not do what you ask. The dog will not move when its owner pulls.
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Example sentences
- The recalcitrant dog stopped.
- A recalcitrant child said no.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- re — back (from Latin)
- calcitr — kick (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- STUBBORN — will not change (Will Not Change)
- DEFIANT — openly says no (Openly Says No)
- RESISTANT — pushes back (Pushes Back)
Lesson notes
Recalcitrant means a person or animal that will not do what you ask. The dog will not move when its owner pulls.
Related: stubborn, defiant, resistant. Use recalcitrant when someone says no.
The recalcitrant dog stopped. A recalcitrant child said no.
From Latin. Re- means back. Calcitr- means kick. Kicking back at every request is recalcitrant.