Resolute

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɛ.zəˌl(j)uːt/

Definitions

1. Firmly determined and unwavering in purpose or belief, showing strong resolve that is difficult to shake
2. Admirably steadfast and unyielding in commitment to a chosen course of action despite obstacles or opposition
3. Characterized by unwavering determination and purposeful conviction that resists doubt or external pressure

Etymology: The adjective "resolute" carries the sense of an unbending will, yet its earliest meaning was almost the opposite: to be loosened. It comes from Latin "resolutus," the past participle of "resolvere," meaning "to release" or "to unbind." Built from "re-" and "solvere" ("to loosen"), the same root that gives English "solve," the Latin verb described undoing knots, dissolving bonds, and setting things free. The shift from loosening to firmness happened through the idea of something being loosed from doubt or hesitation. A mind that had been untied from uncertainty, once its problems were dissolved, stood firm in its decision. Over time the sense moved from "free of doubt" to "resolved" and finally to the steady determination the word describes today.

Synonyms: determined, steadfast, unwavering, decisive, persistent

Antonyms: indecisive, vacillating, weak, fickle, wavering