- Obdurate
- Today's Word
Obdurate
Obdurate
OB-dur-itDefinition
(adjective) Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action; hardened against moral influence.Example
Despite overwhelming evidence, he remained obdurate in his denial of wrongdoing.Word Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin “obduratus,” past participle of “obdurare,” from “ob-” (in opposition) + “durare” meaning “to harden,” from “durus” meaning “hard.”
Fun FactObdurate literally means “hardened against,” suggesting someone who has deliberately calcified their position beyond mere stubbornness. The word appears frequently in religious contexts describing hearts hardened against grace or compassion—Pharaoh’s obdurate heart in biblical narratives exemplifies willful resistance to moral persuasion. Unlike simple stubbornness, obduracy implies active resistance rather than passive inflexibility. Legal scholars describe obdurate defendants who refuse plea deals despite overwhelming evidence. The word shares roots with “durable” and “endurance,” but where those suggest positive persistence, obduracy is persistence in wrongness. Charles Dickens loved “obdurate” for describing misers and villains immune to sympathy. Modern psychology might diagnose severe obduracy as pathological rigidity, though sometimes standing obdurate against popular opinion requires courage rather than indicating vice.
Today's Popular Words
Paucity
- Today's Word
Paucity
PAW-sih-tee
Definition
(noun) The presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity.
Example
The paucity of evidence made it impossible to reach a definitive conclusion about the case.
Word Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French “paucite” or Latin “paucitas,” from “paucus” meaning “few.”
Fun Fact
Paucity sounds more sophisticated than “lack” or “shortage,” making it perfect for formal contexts where you want to sound measured while pointing out insufficiency. Academic reviewers love deploying paucity to criticize thin research: “The paucity of sources undermines this argument.” The word specifically suggests not just absence but frustratingly inadequate presence—enough to notice what’s missing. Economic reports describe paucity of jobs, scientific papers note paucity of data, and social critics identify paucity of imagination. Unlike “scarcity,” which can be neutral, paucity carries implicit criticism—when something exists in paucity, there should be more. It’s the verbal equivalent of gesturing at empty shelves while looking disappointed.
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