Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “calcitrant” come from?

calcitrant (English) comes from Latin calcitrans, from Latin calcitrare, from Latin calx, from Ancient Greek χάλιξ — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

calcitrant (English): stubborn; refractory

Definitions

  1. stubborn; refractory

Ancestry of “calcitrant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincalcitranskicking
2Latincalcitrarepresent active infinitive of calcitrō;...
3Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
4Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →