Word of the Day

: August 28, 2008

refractory

adjective rih-FRAK-tuh-ree

What It Means

1 : resisting control or authority : stubborn, unmanageable

2 a : resistant to treatment or cure

b : unresponsive to stimulus

c : immune, insusceptible

3 : difficult to fuse, corrode, or draw out; especially : capable of enduring high temperature

refractory in Context

Refractory students may be disciplined, suspended, or expelled, depending on the seriousness of their offense.

Did You Know?

"Refractory" is from the Latin word "refractarius." During the 17th century, it was sometimes spelled as "refractary," but that spelling, though more in keeping with its Latin parent, had fallen out of use by the century's end. "Refractarius," like "refractory," is the result of a slight variation in spelling. It stems from the Latin verb "refragari," meaning "to oppose."