Word of the Day - 09/10/26
intransigent
/ɪn'trænsɪdʒənt/(adj.): stubbornly refusing to compromise or change
The union leader was intransigent, refusing to accept any changes to the proposed contract.
Word Origin
The word 'intransigent' originated in the late 19th century, coming from the Spanish 'intransigente' or the French 'intransigeant'. Both derive from the Latin 'in-' meaning 'not' and 'transigere', meaning 'to come to an agreement, settle, accomplish'. 'Transigere' itself is formed from 'trans-' (across) and 'agere' (to drive, do, act). Thus, 'intransigent' literally means 'not compromising' or 'not coming to an agreement'.
Words with similar origins include 'transaction' and 'transact', both directly from Latin 'transigere'. Also, words derived from 'agere' include 'agent', 'action', 'exact' (from Latin 'exigere' = 'ex-' + 'agere'), and 'cogent' (from Latin 'cogere' = 'co-' + 'agere').