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counterintuitive

 - 2 dictionary results

coun⋅ter⋅in⋅tu⋅i⋅tive

[koun-ter-in-too-i-tiv, -tyoo-]
–adjective
counter to what intuition would lead one to expect: The direction we had to follow was counterintuitive—we had to go north first before we went south.

Origin:
1960–65; counter- + intuitive
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To counterintuitive
coun·ter·in·tu·i·tive   (koun'tər-ĭn-tōō'ĭ-tĭv, -tyōō'-)   
adj.  Contrary to what intuition or common sense would indicate: "Scientists made clear what may at first seem counterintuitive, that the capacity to be pleasant toward a fellow creature is ... hard work" (Natalie Angier).
coun'ter·in·tu'i·tive·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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