/ pəˈsɪstəns; NAmE pərˈs-/ noun [ U ]
1.
the fact of continuing to try to do sth despite difficulties, especially when other people are against you and think that you are being annoying or unreasonable :
His persistence was finally rewarded when the insurance company agreed to pay for the damage.
It was her sheer persistence that wore them down in the end.
2.
the state of continuing to exist for a long period of time :
the persistence of unemployment in the 1970s and 1980s
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from French persistance , from the verb persister ; influenced in spelling by Latin persistent- continuing steadfastly.