noun
Meaning 1
The state of being contrary
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
contrariness
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET: K AA1 N T R EH0 R IY0 N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
a fussy and eccentric disposition
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: crankiness, crotchetiness, grumpiness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: ill nature
noun
Meaning 3
deliberate and stubborn unruliness and resistance to guidance or discipline
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: perversity, perverseness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unruliness, fractiousness, willfulness, wilfulness
Narrower terms: cussedness, orneriness
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English contrary Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English contrariness From contrary + -ness.