intransigent

Alternative forms

• intransigeant

Etymology

Borrowed from French intransigeant, from Spanish intransigente, from Latin in- (“un-, not”) + trānsigēns, present participle of trānsigō (“to come to an understanding”), from trāns (“across”) +‎ agō (“to do”).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

intransigent (comparative more intransigent, superlative most intransigent)

1. Unwilling to compromise or moderate a position; unreasonable

   Don't waste your time trying to change his mind: he's completely intransigent.

   • Herbert Feigl:

     Since I have been asked to do this in very brief compass, the harsh tone and terse style of my presentation will make my contentions appear more dogmatic and intransigent than I should wish them to be.^[1]

Noun

intransigent (plural intransigents)

1. A person who is intransigent

References

Further reading

• intransigent in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• intransigent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913