Word Origin & History
recalcitrant1843, from Fr. récalcitrant, lit. "kicking back" (17c.-18c.), pp. of recalcitrare "to kick back," from re- "back" + L. calcitrare "to kick," from calx (gen. calcis) "heel." Verb recalcitrate "to kick out" is attested from 1623; sense of "resist obstinately" is from 1759.