Definition of "recalcitrant" in English

adjective

1. Marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority.

2. Unwilling to cooperate socially.

3. Difficult to deal with or to operate.

   • The Hansa had no legal status, independent finances or a common institutional framework, while the major weapon against recalcitrant members (or opponents) was the threat of embargo.

4. (botany, of seed, pollen, spores) Not viable for an extended period; damaged by drying or freezing.

noun

1. A person who is recalcitrant.