obdurate

Where does the word "obdurate" come from? It comes from Latin durus, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Obdurate’s story begins in Latin: durus meant “hard.” Hard, giving rise to durare (to harden). Within Latin, it grew into obdurare by ancient. To harden thoroughly, to persist stubbornly, from ob- and durare. It reached English by 1400s as obdurate. Settled as the English word for someone stubbornly refusing to change their mind. Today, obdurate means stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion, course of action, or feelings.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient durus "hard", hard, giving rise to durare (to harden).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient obdurare "to harden thoroughly, to persist stubbornly", to harden thoroughly, to persist stubbornly, from ob- and durare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s obdurate "stubbornly refusing to change one's mind or opinion", settled as the English word for someone stubbornly refusing to change their mind.