Contrary to what you would naturally expect or believe based on your first impression or common sense.
From counter- + intuitive, from Latin intuitus (a looking at), from intueri (to look at). Intuition is direct knowing without reasoning; counterintuitive contradicts that direct knowing.
Quantum physics is full of counterintuitive discoveries—like particles being in multiple places at once—which is why even brilliant physicists found it mind-bending!
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