con·tra

1 [kon-truh]
preposition
1.
against; in opposition or contrast to: Consider the problems of the teenager contra those of the adult.
adverb
2.
contrariwise; on or to the contrary.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin contrā

Dictionary.com Unabridged

con·tra

2 [kon-truh; Spanish kawn-trah]
noun, plural con·tras [-truhz; Spanish -trahs] .
( often initial capital letter ) a member of a counterrevolutionary guerrilla group in Nicaragua.
Origin:
< American Spanish, shortening of contrarrevolucionario counterrevolutionary

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To contra
00:10
Contra is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

contra
mid-14c., from L. contra (prep. and adv.) "against," originally "in comparison with," ablative singular feminine of *com-teros, from Old L. com "with, together" + -tr, zero degree of the comp. suffix -ter-.

Contra
1981, "anti-Sandinista Nicaraguan," short for Sp. contrarrevolucionario "counter-revolutionary."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Carbonation is contra-indicated for reinforced and prestressed concrete.
Reminds me of another branch of science that is reluctant to accept contra evidence.
Contra-cyclical capital requirements would go long way toward damping extremes.
Exactly the mind set that discourages scientists from investigating contra data.
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