- Today's Word
Pertinacious
[per-tuh-NAY-shus]
Definition
- (adjective) Someone who is stubbornly persistent or determined, often to the point of being unyielding. It refers to holding firmly to a purpose, belief, or course of action, sometimes even in the face of opposition or difficulty.
Example
The pertinacious reporter refused to drop the investigation, following leads for months until she finally uncovered the truth about the corporate scandal.
Fun Fact
“Pertinacious” comes from the Latin “pertinax,” combining “per-” (meaning “through”) and “tenax” (meaning “tenacious” or “holding fast”). In ancient Rome, being called “pertinax” could be either a compliment or an insult – it praised determination but could also suggest pig-headedness. Interestingly, there was even a Roman Emperor named Pertinax who ruled briefly in 193 CE; he earned his name from his stubborn military leadership style before becoming emperor. The word gained particular significance during the Scientific Revolution, where “pertinacious investigation” became a praised quality among researchers who needed to persist through years of careful study. In psychology, “pertinacity” is studied as a personality trait distinct from mere stubbornness because it involves purposeful persistence rather than simple resistance to change. The term maintains a somewhat formal and literary tone, often carrying a more positive connotation than similar words like “stubborn” or “obstinate.”
(noun) Gross injustice or wickedness; a deeply immoral act or condition that violates fundamental principles of right and wrong.
The report documented decades of iniquity — not isolated lapses in judgment but a systematic, deliberate pattern of harm that had been protected at every level.