WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
per•ver•si•ty
(pər vûr′si tē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ties for 2.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- the state or quality of being perverse.
- an instance of this.
- Latin perversitās. See perverse, -ity
- 1520–30
per•verse /pɚˈvɜrs/USA pronunciation
adj.
per•verse•ness, n. [uncountable]
per•ver•si•ty /pɚˈvɜrsɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]See -vert-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- willfully determined not to do what is expected or desired; contrary:a perverse desire to argue for the opposite of whatever everyone else accepts.
per•verse•ness, n. [uncountable]
per•ver•si•ty /pɚˈvɜrsɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]See -vert-.
per•verse
(pər vûrs′),USA pronunciation adj.
per•verse′ly, adv.
per•verse′ness, n.
- willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired;
contrary. - characterized by or proceeding from such a determination or disposition:a perverse mood.
- wayward or cantankerous.
- persistent or obstinate in what is wrong.
- turned away from or rejecting what is right, good, or proper;
wicked or corrupt.
- Latin perversus facing the wrong way, askew, origin, originally past participle of pervertere. See pervert
- Middle English 1325–75
per•verse′ness, n.
- 1. contumacious, disobedient. 4. stubborn, headstrong. See willful. 5. evil, bad, sinful.
- 1. agreeable. 4. tractable.
'perversity' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):