Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

contrary

2 adjective
     
contrary2
1 contrary ideas, opinions, or actions are completely different and opposed to each other:
Two contrary views emerged.
The men shouted contrary orders.
contrary to
The government's actions are contrary to the public interest.
2

contrary to popular belief/opinion

used to say that something is true even though people believe the opposite:
Contrary to popular belief, a desert can be very cold.
3 formalHEM a contrary wind is not blowing in the direction you want to sail
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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