Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Language: Latin
Origin: refractarius, from refragari 'to oppose'

refractory

 adjective
     
re‧frac‧to‧ry
1 formal deliberately not obeying someone in authority and being difficult to deal with or control [= unruly]
2 medical a refractory disease or illness is hard to treat or cure
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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