# recalcitrant

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɹɪˈkæl.sɪ.tɹənt/ · frequency rank #50,183

## Definitions
1. Marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority.
2. Unwilling to cooperate socially.
3. Difficult to deal with or to operate.
4. Not viable for an extended period; damaged by drying or freezing.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French récalcitrant, from Latin recalcitrāns, recalcitrantis, present participle of recalcitrō, recalcitrāre (“be disobedient, kick back [as a horse]”), from calx (“heel”), 1820s.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/recalcitrant