Perverse

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)s

Origin

• From Latin perversum, past participle of pervertere >

per- 'thoroughly' + vertere 'to turn'. So, "thoroughly turned".

Full definition of perverse

Adjective

1. Turned aside; hence, specifically, turned away from the (morally) right; willfully erring; wicked; perverted.
2. Obstinately in the wrong; stubborn; intractable; hence, wayward; vexing; contrary.
• 2013-07-20, Welcome to the plastisphere, researchers noticed many of their pieces of marine debris sported surface pits around two microns across....Closer examination showed that some of these pits did, indeed, contain bacteria, and that in several cases these bacteria were dividing and thus, by the perverse arithmetic of biological terminology, multiplying.
3. (legal, of a verdict) Ignoring the evidence or the judge's opinions.

Derived terms

• perversely
• perverseness
• perversity

Anagrams

• preserve