In mathematics and physics, describing a quantity or mathematical object whose components change in the opposite direction to changes in the coordinate system.
From contra- (opposite) plus variant (from vary). This is technical mathematical terminology, formalized in the early 20th century with the development of tensor calculus.
In advanced math and physics, some quantities transform one way when you change your viewpoint, while others (contravariant ones) transform the *opposite* way—it's crucial for Einstein's theory of relativity!
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