Main Entry:

¹con·trary

Pronunciation:

\ˈkän-ˌtrer-ē, -ˌtre-rē\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural con·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 the2: one of a pair of opposites3 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 contrary2: notwithstanding