Dictionary.com

refractory

[ ri-frak-tuh-ree ]
/ rɪˈfræk tə ri /
See synonyms for refractory on Thesaurus.com

adjective

hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient: a refractory child.
resisting ordinary methods of treatment.
difficult to fuse, reduce, or work, as an ore or metal.

noun, plural re·frac·to·ries.

a material having the ability to retain its physical shape and chemical identity when subjected to high temperatures.
refractories, bricks of various shapes used in lining furnaces.

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Origin of refractory

First recorded in 1600–10; variant of refractary (by analogy with adjectives in -ory1), from Latin refrāctārius “stubborn, obstinate,” equivalent to refrāct(us) (see refract) + -ārius-ary

synonym study for refractory

1. See unruly.

OTHER WORDS FROM refractory

re·frac·to·ri·ly, adverbre·frac·to·ri·ness, nounun·re·frac·to·ry, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to refractory

firm, stiff, contrary, disobedient, headstrong, mulish, obstinate, unmanageable, unruly, willful, hard, rigid, bullheaded, cantankerous, difficult, incorrigible, intractable, opinionated, perverse, rebellious

Example sentences from the Web for refractory

British Dictionary definitions for refractory

refractory
/ (rɪˈfræktərɪ) /

adjective

unmanageable or obstinate
med not responding to treatment
(of a material) able to withstand high temperatures without fusion or decomposition

noun plural -ries

a material, such as fireclay or alumina, that is able to withstand high temperatures: used to line furnaces, kilns, etc

Derived forms of refractory

refractorily, adverbrefractoriness, noun

Word Origin for refractory

C17: variant of obsolete refractary; see refract
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

Medical definitions for refractory

refractory
[ rĭ-frăk′tə-rē ]

adj.

Resistant to treatment, as a disease.
Unresponsive to stimuli, as a muscle or nerve fiber.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for refractory

refractory
[ rĭ-frăk′tə-rē ]

Having a high melting point. Ceramics that are made from clay and minerals are often refractory, as are metal oxides and carbides. Refractory materials are often used as liners in furnaces.
Resistant to heat.
Of or relating to a refractory period.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.