contrary

Meanings

• adjective

  opposite in nature, quality, or degree; contrary.

  - "Her opinion was contrary to the majority's."
  - "The cold weather was a contrary condition for a picnic."

• adjective

  acting or tending to act in direct opposition; opposing.

  - "His contrary behavior was a source of frustration."
  - "The contrary winds made sailing difficult."

---

Pronunciation

1. /ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/
   
   
   
   Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1250157"

---

Synonyms

witherward

---

Rhymes

Words rhyming with contrary
stare , repair , repair , fare , glare

---

Variants

List of all variants of contrary that leads to same result
by contraries , contraries , contrary , on the contrary , to the contrary , contrarily , contrariness , contrarinesses , contrary to , contrary to expectations , contrary to popular belief , contrary to popular opinion , appearances to the contrary , the contrary

---

Forms

Different forms of the word (e.g., verb conjugations, plural forms, comparative/superlative forms for adjectives).

The comparative form of contrary is more contrary, and the superlative form is most contrary.

---

Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From Old French contrarie, from contrarier, to oppose, contradict.

---

Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The word 'contrary' comes from the Old French word 'contrarie', which means 'opposite' or 'contradict'.

2. In mathematics, a contrary number is a number that when added to another number results in zero. For example, the contrary of 5 is -5.

3. The term 'contrary' is often used in law to describe a party who takes an opposing position in a legal dispute.

---

Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. opposite: Opposite is a term used to describe things that are directly opposite in meaning or nature. For example, hot and cold are opposites, as are up and down.

2. antonym: An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word. For example, the antonym of 'hot' is 'cold'.

---

Quotes

Quotes by authors and personalities

1. "Is this the girl who has moved into Villa Villekulla?" asked one of the policemen. "Quite the "contrary"," said Pippi. "This is a tiny little auntie who lives on the third floor at the other end of the town."

   - Astrid Lindgren,{it}Pippi Longstocking{/it},(1950) 1978

2. He was not, despite the mythology he and his press agents so assiduously manufactured, a risk taker. On the "contrary", he was more often timid to the point of fecklessness.

   - Christopher Buckley,{it}New York Times Book Review{/it},4 Nov. 1990

3. As kiss-and-tell books go, "Opening Arguments" by Jeffrey Toobin has few, if any, deep and sensuous secrets to reveal—this despite many news stories to the "contrary".

   - Nina Totenberg,{it}New York Times Book Review{/it},March 31, 1991

4. Other men—a surprising number of them—do not feel anger or blame. On the "contrary", they feel a strong blood tie to their fathers, and to them the discipline was a minor thing.

   - Robert Bly,{it}Iron John{/it},1990

---

Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, the term 'contrary' is often used to describe characters who behave in opposition to what is expected or desired. For example, in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia's father Polonius is described as a 'contrary' figure due to his manipulative and deceitful behavior.

How to Memorize "contrary"

1. visualize
   

   - To memorize contrary, visualize a situation where two things are opposite or in direct opposition to each other. For example, imagine a see-saw with one end up high in the air and the other end down low. This can help you remember that contrary means opposite or opposing.

2. associate
   

   - To memorize contrary, associate it with the word 'opposite'. For example, whenever you see or hear the word 'contrary', think of the word 'opposite' and remember that they mean the same thing.

3. mnemonics
   

   - To memorize contrary, use the mnemonic 'C is for Contrary, which means Opposite'.

---

Memorize "contrary" using Dictozo

The best and recommended way to memorize contrary is, by using Dictozo. Just save the word in Dictozo extension and let the app handle the rest. It enhances the memorization process in two ways:

1. Highlighting:

   Whenever users encounters the saved word on a webpage, Dictozo highlights it, drawing the user's attention and reinforcing memorization.
2. Periodic Reminders:

   Dictozo will send you periodic reminders to remind you the saved word, it will ask you quiz. These reminders could be in the form of notifications or emails, prompting users to recall and reinforce their knowledge.