Definition of adamantine
1 : made of or having the quality of adamant
2 : rigidly firm : unyielding adamantine discipline
3 : resembling the diamond in hardness or luster
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Examples of adamantine in a Sentence
the adamantine opposition of his parents to his marriage to a girl from a poor family
Did You Know?
The Greek and Latin word for the hardest imaginable substance, whether applied to a legendary stone or an actual substance, such as diamond, was "adamas." Latin poets used the term figuratively for things lasting, firm, or unbending, and the adjective "adamantinus" was used in similar contexts. The English noun "adamant" (meaning "an unbreakable or extremely hard substance"), as well as the adjective "adamant" (meaning "inflexible" or "unyielding"), came from "adamas." "Adamantine," which has such figurative uses as "rigid," "firm," and "unyielding," came from "adamantinus." "Adamas" is actually the source of "diamond" as well. "Diamas," the Latin term for diamond, was an alteration of "adamas."
Origin and Etymology of adamantine
Middle English, from Latin adamantinus, from Greek adamantinos, from adamant-, adamas
First Known Use: 13th century
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for adamantine Nglish: Translation of adamantine for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of adamantine for Arabic speakers
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