contradictory
pronunciation
How to pronounce contradictory in British English:
UK [ˌkɒntrəˈdɪktəri]
How to pronounce contradictory in American English:
US [ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktəri]
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- Noun:
- two propositions are contradictories if both cannot be true (or both cannot be false) at the same time
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- Adjective:
- of words or propositions so related that both cannot be true and both cannot be false
- that confounds or contradicts or confuses
- in disagreement
- unable to be both true at the same time
Word Origin
- contradictory (adj.)
- 1530s, "mutually opposed, at variance," from Late Latin contradictorius "containing a contradiction or objection," from contradictus, past participle of contradicere (see contradiction). Meaning "fond of contradicting" is from 1891. Used earlier as a noun (late 14c.).
Example
- 1. And yet it is long , confusing and contradictory .
- 2. Official attitudes to cars are contradictory .
- 3. The decision requires dealing with noisy and contradictory constituencies .
- 4. Clearly globalization is a complex set of partly contradictory forces .
- 5. Some items on the list are almost contradictory .