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Oceans Posted 19 years ago
Vocabulary
difference between tenacious and pertinacious?
Hi everyone
I was just wondering if anyone knows the difference between tenacious and pertinacious. The both have pretty similar meaning and just don't know. If anyone could help, it would be appreciated.
thank you
I was just wondering if anyone knows the difference between tenacious and pertinacious. The both have pretty similar meaning and just don't know. If anyone could help, it would be appreciated.
thank you
Top answer
tenacious is more positive. It's persistence applied toward a goal. A tenacious student.
- tenacious is more positive.
- It's persistence applied toward a goal.
- A tenacious student.
- A tenacious trainer.
- pertinacious is more negative.
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6 Answers
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tenacious is more positive. It's persistence applied toward a goal. A tenacious student. A tenacious trainer.
pertinacious is more negative. It's a perverse obstinacy. A pertinacious heretic. A pertinacious critic.
CJ
pertinacious is more negative. It's a perverse obstinacy. A pertinacious heretic. A pertinacious critic.
CJ
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Tsk, tsk! False etymology, Marius. It is just the Latin prefix per-, meaning 'completely', plus the same Latin root, tenax, that tenacious carries.
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As a footnote: "tenacious" is also used in a physical sense, e.g.
1. The baby colobus clung tenaciously to its mother's fur.
I would not expect to see "pertinacious" used in such a context.
MrP
1. The baby colobus clung tenaciously to its mother's fur.
I would not expect to see "pertinacious" used in such a context.
MrP
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