Intransigents

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who refuse to compromise their positions or beliefs
2. People who are unyielding and stubborn in their attitudes, often resisting negotiation or agreement
3. Those who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to their principles, showing little flexibility or willingness to concede

Etymology: The plural "intransigents" is simply the plural of "intransigent," and the noun sense, "people refusing compromise," is the one that matters for this word's history. The adjective and noun both come from a Latin verb whose literal meaning was almost the opposite of obstinacy. "Transigere" combined "trans," meaning "across," with "agere," "to drive or do," so it originally meant to carry something through to the other side, and by extension to settle a dispute, come to an understanding, or make a deal. Latin then negated this with the prefix "in-," producing "intransigens," a word meaning, in effect, "not coming to terms." The term passed into Spanish as "intransigente" and then into French as "intransigeant," and English borrowed it from French. The word therefore describes a refusal to reach an agreement, which is a more pointed idea than simple stubbornness: the person who is intransigent has closed the door on the deal that the verb once described.

Synonyms: unyielding, obstinate, inflexible, adamant, stubborn

Antonyms: flexible, yielding, compliant, submissive, docile