|
|
- pronunciation:
- rih
luhk
t
 nt
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective), Word Parts
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition 1: |
unenthusiastic or unwilling; disinclined.
He was always reluctant to play an instrument when he was young, but now he wishes he had.She was reluctant to sign the documents without consulting a lawyer.- synonyms:
- disinclined, indisposed, unwilling
- antonyms:
- eager, glad, ready, willing
- similar words:
- averse, loath
|
| definition 2: |
displaying resistance or opposition.
Reluctant members of the committee began a protest.- synonyms:
- averse, loath, opposed, resistant, unwilling
- similar words:
- antagonistic, antipathetic
|
| related words: |
afraid, ashamed, hesitant, reticent, slow |
adverb + (adj.)reluctant
extremely, first, increasingly, initially, naturally, notoriously, often, somewhat, understandably
(adj.)reluctant
+ adverb
publicly
(adj.)reluctant
+ noun
acquiescence, ally, blessing, bride, celebrity, convert, entrepreneur, hero, learner, practitioner, reader, respondent, traveler, warrior, witness
|
| derivation: |
reluctantly (adv.) |
The word reluctant
contains the following parts:
luct
Latin
root
that means struggle
  Example words:
-ant, -ent
Latin
adjective- and noun-forming suffix
that means (in adjectives) doing the action denoted by the verb root; (in nouns) one who or that which does the action denoted by the verb root.
More about this word part:
The suffix -ant
, -ent
forms adjectives and, to a much lesser extent, nouns from Latin verb stems such as fid in confident
and stud in student
. This suffix is the equivalent in Latin of the "-ing" inflection in English. Many adjectives ending in -ant
, -ent
have a corresponding noun ending in -ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency.
Example words:
aberrant, accident, accidental, adherent, adjacent, affluent, agent, alterant, ambient, antecedent, applicant, arrogant, benevolent, coherent, combatant, complacent, confidant, confident, consequent, consultant, continent, conversant, current, defoliant, dependent, different, disinfectant, dissonant, dominant, efficient, eloquent, equilibrant, exorbitant, extravagant, fluent, hydrant, ignorant, important, inadvertent, incessant, incognizant, inconsonant, indignant, informant, itinerant, malevolent, miscreant, parent, participant, patient, precedent, predominant, president, prudent, pungent, recreant, reluctant, repugnant, resident, resonant, servant, significant, student, tenant, transcendent, vacant, vagrant, variant, verdant
|