recalcitrante

[rekalsiˈt̪ɾãn̪t̪e]

/[rekalsiˈt̪ɾãn̪t̪e]/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“recalcitrante” is uncommon Spanish (frequency #55,869 among 48,955 “R” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#55,869
frequency rank, Spanish
48,955
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Reacio, obstinado en la resistencia.

Key facts for recalcitrante
PropertyValue
Headwordrecalcitrante
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[rekalsiˈt̪ɾãn̪t̪e]
Letters13
Frequency rank#55,869
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “recalcitrante” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). recalcitrante lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

recalcitrante is uncommon Spanish at frequency #55,869 among 48,955 “R” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed [rekalsiˈt̪ɾãn̪t̪e]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for recalcitrante, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is recalcitrante, spelled R-E-C-A-L-C-I-T-R-A-N-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Reacio, obstinado en la resistencia.
  2. 2
    Dicho de una semilla, que pierde su viabilidad en condiciones de frío y sequedad, de manera que resultan difíciles de almacenar.
  3. 3
    Reincidente, que vuelve a cometer la misma conducta, error o vicio, o que no puede evitarlo.

Synonyms

obstinadotercopertinazporfiadocontumazempecinadoinsistenteincorregiblereacio

This word in other languages

recalcitrant(English)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "recalcitrante"?
"recalcitrante" is spelled R-E-C-A-L-C-I-T-R-A-N-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is [rekalsiˈt̪ɾãn̪t̪e].
What does "recalcitrante" mean?
As an adjective, "recalcitrante" means: Reacio, obstinado en la resistencia.
How do you pronounce "recalcitrante"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recalcitrante" is [rekalsiˈt̪ɾãn̪t̪e]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "recalcitrante" come from?
"recalcitrante" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “recalcitrante”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is R-E-C-A-L-C-I-T-R-A-N-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [rekalsiˈt̪ɾãn̪t̪e] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words

Other uncommon Spanish words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list