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stiff-necked. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
stiff-necked, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
stiff-necked in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
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.
Adjective
stiff-necked (comparative more stiff-necked, superlative most stiff-necked)
- (literally) Having a stiff neck; suffering from torticollis
- (figuratively) Stubborn and arrogant.
1611, The Holy Bible, (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Exodus 33:5:For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
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