persistent

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /pɚˈsɪstənt/ UK /pəˈsɪstənt/ See IPA manual

adj Freq #10570

Meanings

1

adj
Continuing for a long time and difficult to stop.

She has had a persistent cough for over two weeks.
2

adj
Refusing to give up, even when others say no.

He was so persistent that they finally agreed to meet him.
3

adj
Happening again and again.

There was a persistent knocking on the door.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · continuing for a long time... relentless unrelenting

Word family

Derived forms antipersistentbiopersistenthyperpersistentimpersistentnonpersistentsemipersistent

Related forms persist persistence persistency persistently

Etymology

From Latin persistentem, present participle of persistō (“continue steadfastly”). By surface analysis, persist + -ent.

*steh₂- Proto-Indo-European persistēns Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

# persistent

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** pɚˈsɪstənt
**IPA (UK):** pəˈsɪstənt
**Frequency rank:** 10570

## Meanings
1. Continuing for a long time and difficult to stop.
2. Refusing to give up, even when others say no.
3. Happening again and again.

## Examples
- She has had a persistent cough for over two weeks.
- He was so persistent that they finally agreed to meet him.
- There was a persistent knocking on the door.

## Derived Forms
- antipersistent
- biopersistent
- hyperpersistent
- impersistent
- nonpersistent
- semipersistent

## Related Forms
- persist
- persistence
- persistency
- persistently

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *steh₂-
- Root: persistēns

## Etymology
From Latin persistentem, present participle of persistō (“continue steadfastly”). By surface analysis, persist + -ent.

## AI Etymology
Persistent comes from Latin persistentem, present participle of persistō (“continue steadfastly”). By surface analysis, persist + -ent. The historical chain includes *steh₂- (Proto-Indo-European), persistēns (Latin). In present-day English it covers continuing for a long time and difficult to stop, refusing to give up, even when others say no, and happening again and again. The wider family includes derived forms such as antipersistent, biopersistent, hyperpersistent, impersistent, nonpersistent and related forms such as persist, persistence, persistency, persistently.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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persistent

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