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Refusing to give up or let go; persevering obstinately.
(adjective)
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Insistently repetitive or continuous: a persistent ringing of the telephone.
(adjective)
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Existing or remaining in the same state for an indefinitely long time; enduring: persistent rumors; a persistent infection.
(adjective)
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Botany Lasting past maturity without falling off, as the calyx on an eggplant or the scales of a pine cone.
(adjective)
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Zoology Retained permanently, rather than disappearing in an early stage of development: the persistent gills of fishes.
(adjective)
American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.