contrary

English

Etymology

From Middle English contrarie, also contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrarius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contra (“against”).

Pronunciation

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• IPA: /ˈkʌnˌtɹæɹi/

Adjective

contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)

1. opposed in nature
2. strongly dissimilar

Derived terms

• contrarian
• contrarily
• contrariwise
• contrary to

Translations

opposed in nature

• Bulgarian: обратен (bg) (obraten), противоположен (bg) (protivopoložen)
• Finnish: vastakkainen (fi), päinvastainen (fi)
• Irish: contrártha (ga)

• Italian: contrario (it), opposto (it)
• Kannada: ಮಾರು (kn) (māru)
• Maori: tukipoho (mi) (refers to wind)
• Romanian: contrar (ro) m and n, opus (ro) m and n

strongly dissimilar

• Romanian: contrar (ro)

Adverb

contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)

1. Contrarily

Noun

contrary (plural contraries)

1. The opposite.
2. One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true.
   • I. Watts

     If two universals differ in quality, they are contraries; as, every vine is a tree; no vine is a tree. These can never be both true together; but they may be both false.

Synonyms

• witherward

Derived terms

• on the contrary
• to the contrary

Verb

contrary (third-person singular simple present contraries, present participle contrarying, simple past and past participle contraried)

1. (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
   • Bishop Latimer

     I was advised not to contrary the king.

   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, I.47:

     The Athenians having left the enemie in their owne land, for to pass into Sicilie, had very ill successe, and were much contraried by fortune [...].

2. (obsolete) To impugn.
3. (obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
   • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book X:

     ‘Madame,’ seyde Sir Palomydes, ‘ye may say what ye woll – I may nat contrary you – but, by my knyghthod, I knew nat my lorde Sir Trystram.’

   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:

     I finde them everie one in his turne to have reason, although they contrary one another.

4. (obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone or something).
5. (obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to.
6. (obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.
7. (obsolete) To be self-contradictory; to become reversed.

Related terms

• contra
• counter

References

• contrary in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• contrary in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• contrary at OneLook Dictionary Search
• Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989