different between contrary vs inflexible

English

Etymology

From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contr?rius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contr? (“against”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?k?nt???i/, /k?n?t????i/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?k?nt???i/
• Rhymes: -???i (some pronunciations)

Adjective

contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)

1. Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
2. Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
   • 1837, William Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences

     The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.

3. Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)

1. Contrarily

Noun

contrary (plural contraries)

1. The opposite.
2. (logic) One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true, though they may both be false.
   • 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard

     If two universals differ in quality, they are contraries; as, every vine is a tree; no vine is a tree. These can never be both true together; but they may be both false.

Synonyms

• witherward

Derived terms

• by contraries
• on the contrary
• to the contrary

Related terms

• (logic): subcontrary
• contrarian

Translations

Verb

contrary (third-person singular simple present contraries, present participle contrarying, simple past and past participle contraried)

1. (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
   • April 19 1549, Hugh Latimer, seventh sermon preached before King Edward VI

     [I was advised] not to contrary the king.
2. (obsolete) To impugn.
3. (obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
4. (obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone or something).
5. (obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to.
6. (obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.
7. (obsolete) To be self-contradictory; to become reversed.

Translations

Related terms

• contra
• counter

References

• contrary in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• contrary in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• contrary at OneLook Dictionary Search
• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “contrary”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

English

Etymology

From Middle French inflexible, from Latin inflexibilis. See also in- +? flexible.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?fl?ks?bl?/

Adjective

inflexible (comparative more inflexible, superlative most inflexible)

1. Not flexible; not capable of bending or being bent.

   Synonyms: stiff, rigid, firm, unyielding

2. Not willing to change, e.g. one's opinion or habits.
3. Not able to be changed or adapted to circumstances.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:obstinate
• unflexible

Antonyms

• flexible

Related terms

• inflexibility
• inflexibleness
• inflexibly

Translations

References

• inflexible in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• “inflexible”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin inflexiblis.

Adjective

inflexible (epicene, plural inflexibles)

1. inflexible

Antonyms

• flexible

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin inflexiblis.

Adjective

inflexible (masculine and feminine plural inflexibles)

1. inflexible

   Antonym: flexible

Derived terms

• inflexiblement

Related terms

• inflexibilitat

Further reading

• “inflexible” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “inflexible” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “inflexible” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “inflexible” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

in- +? flexible

Adjective

inflexible (plural inflexibles)

1. inflexible

Derived terms

• inflexiblement

Related terms

• inflexibilité

Further reading

• “inflexible” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Galician

Alternative forms

• inflexíbel

Etymology

From Latin inflexiblis.

Adjective

inflexible m or f (plural inflexibles)

1. inflexible

Antonyms

• flexible, flexíbel

Derived terms

• inflexiblemente

Related terms

• inflexibilidade

Further reading

• “inflexible” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin inflexiblis.

Adjective

inflexible (plural inflexibles)

1. inflexible

   Antonym: flexible

Derived terms

• inflexiblemente

Related terms

• inflexibilidad

Further reading

• “inflexible” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.