obstinare

Obstinare is a verb of Latin origin that conveys the act of persisting in a course of action with stubborn insistence. In Classical Latin it often describes a will fixed against contrary reasons, or a determination to maintain a position despite opposition.

Etymology: The word is formed in Latin as obstināre, from obstinātus, the past participle, with the semantic field of firmness and obstinacy. The root has contributed to the English adjective obstinate and the noun obstinacy, and has given rise to related terms in Romance languages.

Cognates and descendants: In Italian, forms such as ostinare and the reflexive ostinarsi express similar ideas of stubborn persistence, though the exact nuances can differ. In Spanish and Portuguese, obstinar and obstinarse denote to obstinate oneself or to persist stubbornly. In French, the archaic verb obstiner exists but is rarely used in modern speech.

Usage: In Latin literature, obstinare can describe steadfast allegiance to a plan, or obstinate denial of reasonable advice. In modern Romance languages the verb often carries a negative nuance of stubbornness, but can also express firm resolve in the face of difficulty, depending on context and intonation.

See also: Obstinacy, Obstinate, Persistence, Willpower.