Headstrong
/ˈhɛdˌstrɒŋ/noun
Stubbornly self-willed; obstinate.
Did you know?The word is a straightforward English compound, and its power comes from the image of a person led by the head alone — a vivid metaphor for stubborn will, not a hidden occult origin.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hēafod
“head, top, leader”
Old English
OE
strang
“powerful, forceful, vigorous”
Middle English
Middle English
hedstronge
“stubborn, obstinate”
14th Century
English
headstrong
“self-willed, obstinate”
Modern English
English
headstrong
“stubbornly determined; difficult to control”