adj. & n.
--adj.
1. stubborn, unmanageable, rebellious.
2 a (of a wound, disease, etc.) not yielding to treatment. b (of a person etc.) resistant to infection.
3 (of a substance) hard to fuse or work.
--n. (pl. -ies) a substance especially resistant to heat, corrosion, etc.
Derivatives:
refractorily adv. refractoriness n.
Etymology: alt. of obs. refractary f. L refractarius (as REFRACT)