CONTRADICTORY


Meaning of CONTRADICTORY in English

I. ˌkän.trəˈdiktərē, -k.trē, -ri noun

( -es )

Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin contradictorius, adjective

1.

a. : a word, proposition, or principle that contradicts another

b. : opposite , contrary

it is common with princes to will contradictories — Francis Bacon

2. logic

a. : a proposition so related to another that if either of the two is true the other must be false and if either is false the other must be true : a proposition having the same terms as another proposition but opposite in quality and quantity

“all a is b ” is the contradictory of “some a is not b ”

b. : a term that is the exact negative of another

“white” and “not white” are contradictories

— distinguished from contrary

II. | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷( ̷ ̷) ̷ ̷ adjective

Etymology: Late Latin contradictorius, from Latin contradictus + -orius -ory

1. : tending to contradict : having the character or qualities of contradiction

schemes … contradictory to common sense — Joseph Addison

: given to contradiction : contradictious

an irritable contradictory nature

: involving or causing contradiction

uncoordinated often contradictory , agricultural programs

2. logic : being or having the character of a contradictory

Synonyms: see opposite

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.