Recalcitrant
/rɪˈkæl.sɪ.trənt/noun
Stubbornly resisting authority, control, or guidance.
Did you know?Recalcitrant comes from a Latin verb used for an animal or person who “kicks back,” which is why the word still carries that raw, defiant energy today.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kal-
“to kick”
Latin
Latin
calcāre
“to tread, step on”
Latin
Latin
calcitrāre
“to kick out, kick back; to be stubborn”
Late Latin
Latin
recalcitrāre
“to kick back again; resist”
16th Century
English
recalcitrant
“rebellious, resisting authority”
Modern English
English
recalcitrant
“stubbornly resistant to authority or control”
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