Word of the day October 23: ‘Peremptory’

Word of the day: PEREMPTORY

Pronunciation: pe·remp·to·ry  uk /pəˈremp.tər.i/  us /pəˈremp.tɚ.i/

Meaning

'Peremptory' means insisting on immediate attention or obedience, leaving no room for denial.

Origin and History

The word peremptory originates from the Latin word ‘peremptorius’, meaning decisive or final. This comes from the verb ‘perimere’, which means to take away completely or to destroy. The root is composed of per (meaning through or intensive) and emere (meaning to take).

Examples from literature

• No neighbor or friend ever knocks in such a peremptory way, and I knew immediately that it was the security police.- Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
• For many African Americans, the use of wholly discretionary peremptory strikes to select a jury of twelve remained a serious barrier to serving on a jury.-Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Synonyms

• Imperious
• Dictatorial
• Authoritative
• Commanding