contrariety

[ kon-truh-rahy-i-tee ]

noun

, plural con·tra·ri·e·ties

1. the quality or state of being contrary.
2. something contrary or of opposite character; a contrary fact or statement.
3. Logic. the relation between contraries.

contrariety

/ ˌkɒntrəˈraɪətɪ /

noun

1. opposition between one thing and another; disagreement
2. an instance of such opposition; inconsistency; discrepancy
3. logic the relationship between two contraries

Other Words From

• noncon·tra·rie·ty noun plural noncontrarieties

Word History and Origins

Origin of contrariety¹

1350–1400; Middle English contrariete (< Anglo-French ) < Late Latin contrārietās. See contrary, -ity

Example Sentences

He says what you wouldn’t expect; if Dyson has a pattern, perhaps it is contrariety.

From Nature

Where Dylan rambunctiously inhabits the multifarious world, Cohen more often circles the many mortal contrarieties that lie between the lovers’ bed and the altar – regularly, for him, the same thing.

From The Guardian

A profanity that the mayor of Florence used publicly to describe McDonald’s earlier this year betrayed “a belligerent contrariety,” the suit says.

From Wall Street Journal

Mr. Sharpe shook his head as if to clear it of contrarieties.

From Literature

He lays out all of Benton’s contrarieties, argues them through, prosecuting, defending, and usually leaves them as he found them.

From New York Times