English Explanatory Dictionary

stiff-necked

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Having a stiff neck; suffering from torticollis
  2. Stubborn and arrogant.

Word forms

stiff-necked more stiff-necked most stiff-necked

Etymology

From stiff + neck + -ed. (figurative): Calque of Hebrew קשה ערף (Exodus 33). A biblical term similar to Swedish styvnackad, Ancient Greek σκληροτράχηλος (sklērotrákhēlos), Russian жестоковыйный (žestokovyjnyj), German halsstarrig etc.

Derived words

stiff-neckedly stiff-neckedness
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