adamant
[ ad-uh-muhnt, -mant ]
/ ˈæd ə mənt, -ˌmænt /
adjective
utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals, urgings, etc.
too hard to cut, break, or pierce.
noun
any impenetrably or unyieldingly hard substance.
a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness, formerly sometimes identified with the diamond.
Origin of adamant
before 900; Middle English < Old French
adamaunt < Latin
adamant- (stem of
adamas) hard metal (perhaps steel), diamond < Greek, equivalent to
a-
a-6 +
-damant- verbal adjective of
damân to tame, conquer; replacing Old English
athamans (< Medieval Latin) and Middle English
aymont < Middle French
aimant < Vulgar Latin
*adimant- < Latin
OTHER WORDS FROM adamant
ad·a·man·cy [ad-uh-muhn-see] /ˈæd ə mən si/, ad·a·mance, noun ad·a·mant·ly, adverb un·ad·a·mant, adjectiveWords nearby adamant
Example sentences from the Web for adamant
British Dictionary definitions for adamant
adamant
/ (ˈædəmənt) /
adjective
unshakable in purpose, determination, or opinion; unyielding
a less common word for adamantine (def. 1)
noun
any extremely hard or apparently unbreakable substance
a legendary stone said to be impenetrable, often identified with the diamond or loadstone
Derived forms of adamant
adamantly, adverbWord Origin for adamant
Old English: from Latin
adamant-, stem of
adamas, from Greek; literal meaning perhaps: unconquerable, from
a-
1 +
daman to tame, conquer