Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

contra

1 American  
[kon-truh] / ˈkɒn trə /

preposition

  1. against; in opposition or contrast to.

    Consider the problems of the teenager contra those of the adult.

adverb

  1. contrariwise; on or to the contrary.

contra 2 American  
[kon-truh, kawn-trah] / ˈkɒn trə, ˈkɔn trɑ /

noun

plural

contras

  1. (often initial capital letter) a member of a counterrevolutionary guerrilla group in Nicaragua.

contra- 3 American  

  1. a prefix meaning “against,” “opposite,” “opposing”.

    contradistinction, contraindicate.
contra- 4 American  

  1. a prefix meaning “pitched lower than” the voice or instrument specified by the following element.

    contralto, contrabassoon.
contra- British  

prefix

  1. against; contrary; opposing; contrasting

    contraceptive

    contradistinction

  2. (in music) pitched below

    contrabass
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of contra1

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin contrā

Origin of contra2

First recorded in 1980–85; from Central American Spanish, shortening of contrarrevolucionario “counterrevolutionary”

Origin of contra-3

< Late Latin, Latin, prefixal use of adverb and preposition contrā

Origin of contra-4

< Italian < Latin; contra- 1 ( def. ), counterpoint

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Giraffes, contra Lamarck, didn’t reach for high leaves, develop long necks and then pass those necks on to their descendants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

She also judged a biscuit competition and participated in contra dances, which is what got her into this music in the first place.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2025

El martes, los Angels comienzan una serie de tres partidos en casa contra los Yankees de Nueva York, el equipo con más victorias de la Liga Americana.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2024

Enfatiza cuestiones como el refuerzo de los programas sociales para acabar con la desigualdad, la expansión de la educación superior y la lucha contra la delincuencia.

From Science Magazine • May 8, 2024

The octave below contra can be labelled CCC or Co; higher octaves can be labelled with higher numbers or more lines.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.