A.Word.A.Day		About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us

Home Today's Word Yesterday's Word Archives FAQ

Discuss Email this Feedback RSS/XML Permalink A.Word.A.Day--pertinacious Philosopher, mathematician, and writer, Bertrand Russell once said, "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." This week's words describe people who fall somewhere in that spectrum. Do any of them remind you of someone you know? pertinacious (pur-tin-AY-shuhs) adjective 1. Holding resolutely to a purpose, belief, or opinion. 2. Stubbornly unyielding. [From Latin pertinac- pertinax, per- (thoroughly) + tenax (tenacious), from tenere (to hold).] Today's word in Visual Thesaurus. "A man is pertinacious when he defends his folly and trusts too greatly in his own wit." Geoffrey Chaucer; Canterbury Tales: Explicit Secunda Pars Penitentie; 1387-1400 (Translation: Walter W. Skeat). X-Bonus Seven blunders of the world that lead to violence: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, politics without principle. -Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Subscribe: Sign up to receive A.Word.A.Day in your mailbox every day. Sponsored by: Give the Gift of Words Share the magic of words. Send a gift subscription of A.Word.A.Day. Anu on Words: Writer Magazine Globe & Mail  Interact: Bulletin board Wordsmith Talk Moderated Chat Wordsmith Chat Readers' Voice AWADmail