ˌkän.trəˈdikshən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English contradiccioun, from Latin contradiction-, contradictio, from contradictus + -ion-, -io -ion
1.
a. : the act of opposing in speech : gainsaying
b. : assertion of the contrary to what has been said or affirmed : denial of the truth of a statement
2.
a. : a statement or proposition containing contradictory parts
both parts of a contradiction cannot possibly be true — Thomas Hobbes
b. : a self-contradictory phrase or expression
a round square is a contradiction in terms
3.
a. : logical incongruity : incompatibility
many patriots found no contradiction in devoting their energies to the cause … and … making a little profit on the side — Sidney Warren
b. : opposition of facts, forces, tendencies, qualities, or events
the inner contradictions of an economic system
4.
a. : direct opposition of logical contradictories
b. : an instance that violates the law of contradiction