mumpsimus

Definition

An obstinate person who insists on a traditional belief or practice even after being proven wrong; also refers to the wrongly-held belief itself. The term implies stubborn adherence to error despite evidence to the contrary.

Example Usage

He was a mumpsimus about the old recipe, refusing to acknowledge that his method had been outdated for decades.

Origin

From a 16th-century Latin misreading of 'sumpsimus' in a liturgical text; mumpsimus became a metaphor for someone who clings to an error even when corrected.

Fun Fact

The term gained prominence after Henry VIII's grammarian John Cheke used it to criticize those who stubbornly maintained incorrect pronunciations of Latin.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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