[ tɪ'neɪʃəs ]
■ adjective
1》 not readily relinquishing something; keeping a firm hold.
2》 persisting in existence: a ~ illness.
Derivatives
~ly adverb
~ness noun
tenacity tɪ'nasɪti noun
Origin
C17: from L. tenax , tenac- (from tenere 'to hold') + -ious .