Opposite in nature, direction, or meaning; willfully opposing or resisting what others want or expect.
From Latin contrarius 'opposite, contrary', from contra 'against'. Entered English through Old French contraire in the 13th century. The sense of 'obstinately opposing' developed from the basic meaning of 'opposite', showing how logical opposition became personality trait.
The phrase 'on the contrary' has become one of English's most sophisticated ways to disagree, signaling not just opposition but intellectual superiority. Interestingly, calling someone 'contrary' often implies childish stubbornness, while 'contrarian' suggests principled independence, showing how suffix changes can completely alter a word's social implications.
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