Back to all words

Persist

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to continue firmly in a course of action despite difficulty or opposition
1
Stage 1 of 2
persistere
Latin · ancient
"to stand firm, to continue"
to stand through, to continue steadfastly, from per- (through) and sistere (to stand)
2
Stage 2 of 2
persist
English · 1530s
"to continue firmly despite difficulty or opposition"
settled as the English word for continuing firmly despite difficulty
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom