Adamancies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of refusing to change one's mind or position, sometimes stubbornly
2. A firm and unyielding attitude in the face of objections or persuasion
3. The quality of being resolute and inflexible about beliefs or decisions

Etymology: "Adamancies" is simply the plural of "adamancy," which means something like unbending firmness or stubborn refusal to yield. The noun is built from the Ancient Greek "adámas," meaning "unconquerable" or "hard as steel," and the suffix "-ancy," which English uses to form nouns of state or quality from adjectives and verbs. The Greek adjective gave English its word "adamant," so the plural simply names several separate instances of that quality. Greek "adámas" was used for the hardest substances known, and it is the root behind the English "diamond," which came through Old French "diamant" from the same source. The idea of hardness and refusal to bend is therefore present in the root itself, long before the word was applied to stubborn people or stances.