adamant

American  

[ad-uh-muhnt, -mant] / ˈæd ə mənt, -ˌmænt /

adjective

1. utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals, urgings, etc.

   Synonyms:

   uncompromising, rigid, inflexible

   Antonyms:

   yielding, easygoing, flexible

2. too hard to cut, break, or pierce.

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noun

1. any impenetrably or unyieldingly hard substance.

2. a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness, formerly sometimes identified with the diamond.

adamant British  

/ ˈædəmənt /

adjective

1. unshakable in purpose, determination, or opinion; unyielding

2. a less common word for adamantine

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noun

1. any extremely hard or apparently unbreakable substance

2. a legendary stone said to be impenetrable, often identified with the diamond or loadstone

Other Word Forms

• adamance noun
• adamancy noun
• adamantly adverb
• unadamant adjective

Etymology

Origin of adamant

First recorded before 900; Middle English, from Old French adamaunt, from Latin adamant- (stem of adamas ) “hard metal (perhaps steel), diamond,” from Greek, equivalent to a- a- ⁶ + -damant- verbal adjective of damân “to tame, conquer”; replacing Old English athamans (from Medieval Latin ) and Middle English aymont, from Middle French aimant, from unattested Vulgar Latin adimant-, from Latin

Example Sentences

One of the siblings owes quite a bit of child support, which my parents have been adamant about not paying.

From MarketWatch

He is adamant he will stay in the sport in some capacity, keen to mentor young skiers.

From BBC

"I was so adamant that this would be a career for me, I just needed the opportunity," she said.

From BBC

But Morano, the councilman, is adamant that "this is not just a place that should be known for landfills and mobsters."

From Barron's

The families are adamant they want the senior midwife, Donna Ockenden, to lead it.

From BBC

Related Words

• determined
• insistent
• intransigent
• resolute
• rigid
• stubborn
• uncompromising