English → Latin
“contradictory” in Latin
contrāriusopposite, opposed, contrary, conflicting, witherwardpugnōto fight, combat, battle, engage; to contend, conflict, oppose, contradict; to endeavour, struggle, striverepugnōto fight against; to oppose; to resist or defend oneselfdīversusopposite; separate, apart; diverse, differentdisparōto separate, divideobloquorto speak against someone or something; interrupt a speaker, interject; to gainsay, contradict; to sing to, accompany or
The English word contradictory itself goes back to Latin dīcō, through contradictorius.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
contradictory
contrarius: pugnans, repugnans (of things): diversus (quite different): disparatus (in logic, Vid: Cic., De Invent., 1, 28, 42): obloquens (of persons contradicting). Contradictory things, etc., quae inter se pugnant, repugnant, sunt contraria (Cic.): contradictory assertions, statements, etc., *verba, quae inter se repugnant or non cohaerent. Contradictory laws, leges contrariae (Quint.): to be contradictory, inter se pugnare or repugnare: in maxima inconstantia versari (of opinions, Cic., N.D., 1, 16, 42). To issue contradictory decrees, contrarium decernere atque (paullo ante) decreverat. Vid: CONTRARY.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for contradictory?
- The usual Latin words for “contradictory” are contrārius, pugnō, repugnō; also dīversus, disparō, obloquor. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.