FreeVocabulary
Recalcitrant
/rɪˈkælsɪtrənt/ adjective mediumStubbornly defiant of authority or guidance and resistant to being controlled or corrected.
The recalcitrant toddler refused to put on his shoes no matter how many times his father asked.
Memory Trick
The word comes from the Latin 'calcitrare,' meaning 'to kick,' the way a mule kicks back at anyone who tries to lead it. A recalcitrant person is always kicking back against control.