contrarius

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔnˈtraː.ri.ʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [konˈtraː.ri.us]^[1]

Forms

contrārius (feminine contrāria, neuter contrārium, adverb contrāriē); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from contrā “against” with the suffix -ārius.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Varro, of the contrary, and Cicero, of the opposite.^[2] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant opposite in position, in contrārium in the opposite direction, as Caesar's hill facing another, and in Suetonius moving in opposite directions, and in Tacitus wounds in front.^[2][5][6] In Ovid it meant ranged against in battle, and in Cicero hostile, adverse, ex contrāriō on the contrary, and harmful, and in Seneca of winds unfavourable.^[2] From Varro it meant opposite in kind, contrary, in Cicero of laws incompatible, and in logic a contrary.^[2] In Cicero it also meant reciprocal, and in Gaius iūdicium contrārium a countercharge.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant opposite, contrary, and ē contrāriō on the contrary.^[7] It was borrowed into French contraire and Italian contrario, and Anglo-French contrarie gave English contrary in the mid-14th century.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the contrary.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the opposite and of laws.^[2][4]
• 140–180 AD – Gaius uses iūdicium contrārium.^[2][4]
• mid-14th century – English contrary is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Opposite; reverse.^[2]
2. Ranged against; opposing.^[2]
3. Hostile, adverse; unfavourable; harmful.^[2]
4. Contrary, antithetical; incompatible; as a noun, a contrary.^[2]
5. ex contrāriō, on the contrary, per contrārium, conversely.^[2]
6. Reciprocal, iūdicium contrārium, a countercharge.^[2]

Word family

• contrārietās
• contrārium
• ēcontrārius

Related words

• contrā
• English contrary

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson