refractoriness
tə adjective
1.
hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient: a refractory child.
2.
resisting ordinary methods of treatment.
3.
difficult to fuse, reduce, or work, as an ore or metal.
noun
4.
a material having the ability to retain its physical shape and chemical identity when subjected to high temperatures.
5.
refractories, bricks of various shapes used in lining furnaces.
00:10
Refractoriness
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
Origin:
1600–10; variant of refractary (by analogy with adjectives in -ory1) < Latin refrāctārius stubborn, obstinate, equivalent to refrāct(us) (see refract) + -ārius -ary
1600–10; variant of refractary (by analogy with adjectives in -ory1) < Latin refrāctārius stubborn, obstinate, equivalent to refrāct(us) (see refract) + -ārius -ary
Related forms
re·frac·to·ri·ly, adverb
re·frac·to·ri·ness, noun
un·re·frac·to·ry, adjective
Synonyms
1. obstinate, perverse, mulish, headstrong, intractable, disobedient, recalcitrant, ungovernable. See unruly.
1. obstinate, perverse, mulish, headstrong, intractable, disobedient, recalcitrant, ungovernable. See unruly.
Antonyms
1. obedient, tractable.
1. obedient, tractable.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To refractoriness
Collins
World English Dictionary
refractory (rɪˈfræktərɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | unmanageable or obstinate |
| 2. | med not responding to treatment |
| 3. | (of a material) able to withstand high temperatures without fusion or decomposition |
| —n , -ries | |
| 4. | a material, such as fireclay or alumina, that is able to withstand high temperatures: used to line furnaces, kilns, etc |
| [C17: variant of obsolete refractary; see | |
| re'fractorily | |
| —adv | |
| re'fractoriness | |
| —n | |
| refractory (rɪˈfræktərɪ) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | unmanageable or obstinate |
| 2. | med not responding to treatment |
| 3. | (of a material) able to withstand high temperatures without fusion or decomposition |
| —n , -ries | |
| 4. | a material, such as fireclay or alumina, that is able to withstand high temperatures: used to line furnaces, kilns, etc |
| [C17: variant of obsolete refractary; see | |
| re'fractorily | |
| —adv | |
| re'fractoriness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
refractory re·frac·to·ry (rĭ-frāk'tə-rē)
adj.
Resistant to treatment, as a disease.
Unresponsive to stimuli, as a muscle or nerve fiber.
re·frac'to·ri·ness n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
refractory  (rĭ-frāk'tə-rē) Pronunciation Key
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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