I. ˌkän-trə-ˈdik-t(ə-)rē noun
( plural -ries )
Date: 14th century
: a proposition so related to another that if either of the two is true the other is false and if either is false the other must be true
II. adjective
Date: 1656
: involving, causing, or constituting a contradiction
contradictory statements
Synonyms: see opposite
• con·tra·dic·to·ri·ly -t(ə-)rə-lē adverb
• con·tra·dic·to·ri·ness -t(ə-)rē-nəs noun