tenacity

noun

1. the quality of being tenacious, or of holding fast; persistence: the amazing tenacity of rumors.
2. the quality of retaining something: the tenacity of memory.
3. the quality or property of holding together firmly: testing the tenacity of the old book’s binding.

n.early 15c., from Middle French ténacité (14c.), from Latin tenacitas “the act of holding fast,” from tenax (genitive tenacis) “tough, holding fast,” from tenere “to hold” (see tenet).