Link Centre Dictionary

refractory

ref·rac·tory

UK/ɹɪˈfɹæk.tə.ɹi/ US/ɹɪˈfɹæk.təɹ.i/ uncommon
adjective (4) noun (1)

adjective

1.

resistant to authority or control

  • “as refractory as a mule”
Similar
2.

not responding to treatment

  • “a stubborn infection”
  • “a refractory case of acne”
  • “stubborn rust stains”
Synonyms
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3.

marked by stubborn resistance to and defiant of authority or guidance

  • “a recalcitrant teenager”
  • “everything revolves around a refractory individual genius”
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4.

stubbornly resistant to authority or control

  • “a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness”
  • “a refractory child”
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noun

1.

lining consisting of material with a high melting point; used to line the inside walls of a furnace

Synonyms

Origin

From Latin refractārius (“obstinate”), from refrāctus, past participle of refringere (“to break up”). Originally refractary, refractarie, but reanalysed after other adjectives in -ory.

Phrases

  • psychological refractory period
  • refractory anaemia with excess blasts
  • refractory metal
  • refractory period
  • refractory rhyme

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.