adjective
- resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
- noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.
adjective
- noisy or rough, esp in resisting restraint or control
adj.c.1600, from Latin obstreperus “clamorous,” from obstrepere “drown with noise, make a noise against, oppose noisily,” from ob “against” (see ob-) + strepere “make a noise,” from PIE *strep-, said to be imitative (cf. Latin stertare “to snore,” Old Norse þrapt “chattering,” Old English þræft “quarrel”). Related: Obstreperously; obstreperousness.