What does pertinacious mean?
Word: Pertinacious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Pertinacious means refusing to give up on an aim, even when it is hard or other people object.
Synonyms: determined, dogged
Antonyms: irresolute
How do you spell pertinacious?
Syllables: per - ti - na - cious
Tricky part: The ending sounds like "shus", and pupils often write it -atious or -aceous; it is -acious.
Watch out for: pertinatious, pertinaceous, pertinacius
Memory tip: Tenacious means almost the same thing, holding on hard, and the two words share the same ending: -acious.
Pertinacious in a sentence
Example 1: Sofia was pertinacious about her science project and rebuilt the model four times.
Example 2: The pertinacious reporter kept asking polite questions until the mayor gave a clear answer.
Example 3: It takes a pertinacious gardener to grow roses in such stony soil.
Fun Fact
Oxford Learner's marks it as a formal word, and it is built from a Latin prefix meaning thoroughly and the same Latin root for holding fast that gives English tenacious.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
p_rt_nacious
a) u, i
b) e, e
c) e, i
d) a, i
Show answer
c) e, i. It starts with per, as in perfect, and the t is followed by i, not e.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word pertinacious as used in the sentence:
Through three rainy weeks of rehearsals, Aarav stayed pertinacious about learning every line of his part in the school play.
a) reluctant
b) forgetful
c) careless
d) persistent
Show answer
d) persistent. Aarav kept at it week after week, which is what a persistent person does.
Spell-o-Spell
One of these words is spelt wrongly. Choose its meaning:
1. hygienic 2. vigilant 3. pertinacious 4. mischievious
a) clean and free from germs
b) holding firmly to a goal in spite of setbacks
c) watchful and alert for any problem
d) fond of playing harmless tricks
Show answer
d) fond of playing harmless tricks. Mischievous has no i between the v and the o; the other three words are spelt correctly.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these people is being pertinacious?
a) a girl who keeps practising a hard song until she gets it
b) a girl who changes her hobby every single week
c) a boy who gives up on a puzzle after the first try
d) a boy who waits for others to finish his chores
Show answer
a) a girl who keeps practising a hard song until she gets it
2. Pertinacious is a formal word, so you are most likely to meet it in ____.
a) a quick text to a close friend
b) a shopping list for the market
c) a newspaper article or a novel
d) a label on a bottle of juice
Show answer
c) a newspaper article or a novel
