English → Latin
“contumacious” in Latin
contumāxinsolent, obstinate, stiff-necked, defiant; who refuses to appear in a court of law, in disobedience of a summons; unyiepertināxpersevering, obstinate; pertinacious; tenacious
The English word contumacious itself goes back to Latin contemnō, through contumāx.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
contumacious
contumax: pertinax [SYN. in OBSTINACY; contumax is also the proper legal term for one who disobeys the peremptory order of a court, Hermog., Dig., 42, 1, 53]: imperium detrectans (resisting authority; refractory). [ ☞ Refractariolus, pugnacious, once Cic., Att., 2, 1, 3; but Orelli thinks the passage doubtful: refractarius once Sen.; praefractus is (1) rugged of style; opposed to rotundus; (2) harsh, unbending, praefractus et ferreus, Cic.]
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for contumacious?
- The usual Latin words for “contumacious” are contumāx, pertināx. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.