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obdurate

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obdurate¹

  • /ˈɒbdʒʊɹɪt/ UK
  • /ˈɒbdjʊɹɪt/ UK
  • /ˈɒbdʒəɹɪt/ UK
  • /-ət/ UK
  • /ˈɑbd(j)ʊɹɪt/ US
  • /ˈɑbd(j)əɹɪt/ US
  • /-ət/ US

Where it comes from

First attested in the 1450s, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English obdurat(e), borrowed from Latin obdūrātus (“hardened”), perfect passive participle of obdūrō (“to harden”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ob- (“against”) + dūrō (“to harden, render hard”), from dūrus (“hard”). Compare durable, endure.

adjective more obdurate · most obdurate

  1. Stubbornly persistent, generally in wrongdoing; refusing to reform or repent. […] sometimes the very custom of evil making the heart obdurate against whatsoever instructions to the contrary […]
  2. obsolete Physically hardened, toughened. The past is obdurate for the same reason a turtle's shell is obdurate: because the living flesh inside is tender and defenseless.
  3. Hardened against feeling; hard-hearted. I fear the gentleman to whom Miss Amelia's letters were addressed was rather an obdurate critic.

obdurate²

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Latin obdūrātus, see Etymology 1 and -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more

verb obdurates · obdurating · obdurated

  1. obsolete, transitive To harden; to obdure.

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