Adjective

(en adjective)

Contemptuous of authority; willfully disobedient; rebellious.

* 1671 , (John Milton), “(Samson Agonistes)” in The Poetical Works of John Milton , volume 4 (edited by Henry John Todd; published in 1801), page 505:

The queen hears of it; takes occa?ion to pa??e wher he is, on purpo?e, that, under prætense of recon?iling to him, or ?eeking to draw a kind retractation from him of the cen?ure on the marriage; to which end ?he ?ends a courtier before, to ?ound whether he might be per?uaded to mitigate his ?entence; which not finding, ?he her?elf craftily a??ays; and, on his con?tancie, ?ounds an accu?ation to Herod of a contumacious affront, on ?uch a day, before many peers; præpares the king to ?ome pa??ion, and at la?t, by her daughter’s dancing, effects it.

* 1837 , (Thomas Carlyle), The French Revolution , Book 2.V:

In all places too are Dissident Priests; whom the Legislative will have to deal with: contumacious individuals, working on that angriest of passions; plotting, enlisting.

(legal) Willfully disobedient to the summons or orders of a court.

Adjective

(en adjective)

Defying.

*{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=15 citation , passage=She paused and took a defiant breath. ‘If you don't believe me, I can't help it. But I'm not a liar.’ ¶ ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough!

Boldly resisting opposition.

*2013 June 18, (Simon Romero), " Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders," New York Times (retrieved 21 June 2013):

*:But the demonstrators remained defiant , pouring into the streets by the thousands and venting their anger over political corruption, the high cost of living and huge public spending for the World Cup and the Olympics.