adjective
1.
willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary.
2.
characterized by or proceeding from such a determination or disposition: a perverse mood.
3.
wayward or cantankerous.
4.
persistent or obstinate in what is wrong.
5.
turned away from or rejecting what is right, good, or proper; wicked or corrupt.
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English < Latin perversus facing the wrong way, askew, orig. past participle of pervertere. See pervert
1325–75; Middle English < Latin perversus facing the wrong way, askew, orig. past participle of pervertere. See pervert
Related forms
per·verse·ly, adverb
per·verse·ness, noun
non·per·verse, adjective
non·per·verse·ly, adverb
non·per·verse·ness, noun
Antonyms
1. agreeable. 4. tractable.
1. agreeable. 4. tractable.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
perverse (pəˈvɜːs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | deliberately deviating from what is regarded as normal, good, or proper |
| 2. | persistently holding to what is wrong |
| 3. | wayward or contrary; obstinate; cantankerous |
| 4. | archaic perverted |
| [C14: from Old French pervers, from Latin perversus turned the wrong way] | |
| per'versely | |
| —adv | |
| per'verseness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
perverse
c.1369, "wicked," from O.Fr. pervers, from L. perversus "turned away (from what is right), contrary, askew," pp. of pervertere "to corrupt" (see pervert). The L. word is glossed in O.E. by forcerred, from p.p. of forcyrran "to avoid," from cierran "to turn, return." Meaning
"wrong, not in accord with what is accepted" is from c.1568; sense of "obstinate, stubborn" is from 1579. It keeps the non-sexual senses of pervert (v.) and allows the psychological ones to go with perverted.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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