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Origin and history of persist

persist(v.)

"continue steadily and firmly in some state or course of action," especially in spite of opposition or remonstrance; "persevere obstinately," 1530s, from French persister (14c.), from Latin persistere "abide, continue steadfastly," from per "thoroughly" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + sistere "come to stand, cause to stand still" (from PIE *si-st-, reduplicated form of root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm"). Related: Persisted; persisting.

also from 1530s

Entries linking to persist

persistence(n.)

1540s, "steady or firm adherence to or continuance in a state, course of action, or pursuit that has been entered upon, especially if more or less obstinate," from French persistance, from persistant "lasting, enduring, permanent," from Latin persistentem (nominative persistens), present participle of persistere (see persist). In 16c. often spelled persistance, but the classical spelling prevailed. Meaning "continuance of an effect after the cause which gave rise to it is removed" is from 1862. Related: Persistency.

persistent(adj.)

1723, "enduring," at first mostly in botany, from persistence or from Latin persistentem (nominative persistens), present participle of persistere (see persist). Meaning "continuing in spite of opposition, warning, etc." is by 1830. Shakespeare used persistive. Related: Persistently.

  • *per-
  • *sta-
  • See All Related Words (4)
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More to explore

prevail
c. 1400, prevailen, "be successful; be efficacious," from Old French prevaleir (Modern French prévaloir) and directly from Latin praevalere "be stronger or more able, have greater power," from prae "before" (see pre-) + valere "have power, be strong" (from PIE root *wal- "to be s
run
Old English, "move swiftly by using the legs, go on legs more rapidly than walking," also "make haste, hurry; be active, pursue or follow a course," and, of inanimate things, "to move over a course." The modern verb is a merger of two related Old English words, in both of which t
endure
late 14c., "to undergo or suffer" (especially without breaking); also "to continue in existence," from Old French endurer (12c.) "make hard, harden; bear, tolerate; keep up, maintain," from Latin indurare "make hard," in Late Latin "harden (the heart) against," from in- (from PIE
persevere
"to persist in what one has undertaken, to pursue steadily a design or course," late 14c., perseveren, from Old French perseverer..."continue, persevere, endure" and directly from Latin perseverare "continue steadfastly, persist," from persevereus "very...
obdurate
wicked," from Latin obduratus "hardened," past participle of obdurare "harden, render hard; be hard or hardened; hold out, persist...
stick
The meaning "persist (in a course of action), insist upon" is mid-15c....
keep
To keep at "work persistently" is from 1825; to keep on "continue, persist" is from 1580s....
reverberate
1570s, "beat back, drive back, force back" (the classical sense, now obsolete), from Latin reverberatus, past participle of reverberare "strike back, repel, cause to rebound" (see reverberation). In reference to sound or noise, "re-echo," from 1590s, on the notion of "bend back,
plug
1620s, "piece of wood or other substance, usually in the form of a peg or bottle-cork, used to stop a hole in a vessel," originally a seamen's term, probably from Dutch plug, Middle Dutch plugge "bung, stopper," related to Norwegian plugg, Danish pløg (the Scandinavian words also
urn
late 14c., "large, rounded vase used to preserve the ashes of the dead," from Latin urna "a jar, vessel of baked clay, water-jar; vessel for the ashes of the dead" (also used as a ballot box and for drawing lots), probably from earlier *urc-na, akin to urceus "pitcher, jug," and

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Dictionary entries near persist
  • Persia
  • Persian
  • persiflage
  • persimmon
  • Persis
  • persist
  • persistence
  • persistent
  • persnickety
  • person
  • persona
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