n.
Pronunciation: ' kän- ˌ trer- ē , - ˌ tre-r ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -trar · ies
Etymology: Middle English contrarie, from Anglo-French contraire, contrairie, from Medieval Latin contrarius, from Latin, adjective, opposite, adverse, from contra opposite
Date: 13th century
1 : a fact or condition incompatible with another : OPPOSITE ― usually used with the
2 : one of a pair of opposites
3 a : a proposition so related to another that though both may be false they cannot both be true ― compare SUBCONTRARY b : either of two terms (as good and evil ) that cannot both be affirmed of the same subject
– by contraries
obsolete : in a manner opposite to what is logical or expected
– on the contrary : just the opposite
– to the contrary
1 : on the contrary
2 : NOTWITHSTANDING