contradictory
[kon-truh-dik-tuh-ree]
adjective
asserting the contrary or opposite; contradicting; inconsistent; logically opposite: contradictory statements.
tending or inclined to contradict.
noun, plural con·tra·dic·to·ries.
Logic. a proposition so related to a second that it is impossible for both to be true or both to be false.
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More Than Trippy: Our Favorite Viral Optical Illusions ExplainedWhat’s not to love about optical illusions? The magical, mysterious, mind-bending visuals never cease to evoke a series of ‘“woahs” and “what the’s--.” Words usually fail to describe them. Yet, one common word that is often used is trippy, hearkening to the psychedelic days of the ‘60s and ‘70s. But, believe it or not, the first optical illusions emerged far earlier, in the 5th century B.C. They even had Aristotle bumfuzzled! From Medieval Latin, opticus means “of sight or seeing” and ludere, “to play”—thus, optical illusions are visuals that essentially “play with one’s sight.” Because these images are invested with such mysterious power, we think optical illusions are some of the coolest didactic devices known to man. They’re brilliant to look at, and they teach us to question everything. So, to honor these powerful images, we want to share with you their proper names—because, honestly, trippy only holds up in the basement. Get your brains and eyeballs ready. They will be boggled.
RELATED WORDS
conflicting, antithetical, incompatible, contrary, inconsistent, paradoxical, counter, reverse, opposite, converse, antipodal, con, anti, adverse, against, counteractive, diametric, discrepant, incongruous, irreconcilable
Nearby words
- contradict,
- contradiction,
- contradiction in terms,
- contradictious,
- contradictive,
- contradistinction,
- contradistinguish,
- contrafactual,
- contrafissura,
- contraflow
Origin of contradictory
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin contrādictōrius, equivalent to contrādic(ere) (see contradict) + -tōrius -tory1
SYNONYMS FOR contradictory
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for contradictory
contradictory
adjective
noun plural -ries
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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contradictory
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.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper