In a way that is opposite to or different from what has been stated or expected. It introduces information that contradicts or opposes a previous point.
Derived from 'contrary' plus the adverbial suffix '-ly.' 'Contrary' comes from Latin 'contrarius,' meaning 'opposite' or 'against,' from 'contra' (against). The adverb form emphasizes the oppositional nature of the action or statement.
This word can be tricky because it has two pronunciations with slightly different meanings - when stressed on the first syllable, it means 'in an opposite way,' but when stressed on the second syllable, it can mean 'in a stubborn way'!
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