refractory

[ ri-frak-tuh-ree ]

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adjective

hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient: a refractory child.
resisting ordinary methods of treatment.

difficult to fuse, reduce, or work, as an ore or metal.

noun,plural re·frac·to·ries.

a material having the ability to retain its physical shape and chemical identity when subjected to high temperatures.
refractories, bricks of various shapes used in lining furnaces.

Origin of refractory

First recorded in 1600–10; variant of refractary (by analogy with adjectives in -ory¹), from Latin refrāctārius “stubborn, obstinate,” equivalent to refrāct(us) (see refract) + -ārius-ary

synonym study For refractory

1. See unruly.

Other words for refractory

1	obstinate, perverse, mulish, headstrong, intractable, disobedient, recalcitrant, ungovernable

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Opposites for refractory

1	obedient, tractable

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Other words from refractory

re·frac·to·ri·ly, adverb
re·frac·to·ri·ness, noun
un·re·frac·to·ry, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use refractory in a sentence

The Vice-palatine's task was to teach these refractories, through patriotic reasoning, to amend their ways.
The Nameless Castle | Maurus Jkai
Many new forms of refractories have come into use to meet the demands of the new high temperature work.
Creative Chemistry | Edwin E. Slosson

British Dictionary definitions for refractory

refractory

/ (rɪˈfræktərɪ) /

adjective

unmanageable or obstinate
med not responding to treatment

(of a material) able to withstand high temperatures without fusion or decomposition

nounplural -ries

a material, such as fireclay or alumina, that is able to withstand high temperatures: used to line furnaces, kilns, etc

Origin of refractory

C17: variant of obsolete refractary; see refract

Derived forms of refractory

refractorily, adverb
refractoriness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for refractory

refractory

[ rĭ-frăk′tə-rē ]

Having a high melting point. Ceramics that are made from clay and minerals are often refractory, as are metal oxides and carbides. Refractory materials are often used as liners in furnaces.
Resistant to heat.

Of or relating to a refractory period.

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