refractory

From Latin refractārius (“obstinate”), from refractus, past participle of refringere (“to break up”). Originally refractary reanalysed after other adjectives in -ory.

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈfɹæk.təɹ.i/

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refractory (comparative more refractory, superlative most refractory)

1. Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.

   Synonyms: contrary (inanimates), fractious; see also Thesaurus:obstinate

   • 1787, Alexander Hamilton, “No. 16”, in The Federalist, published 1863, page 103:

     […] in most instances attempts to coerce the refractory and disobedient have been the signals of bloody wars, […]

   • 1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, Chapter 26,

     Mr. Weller knocked at the door, and after a pretty long interval—occupied by the party without, in whistling a tune, and by the party within, in persuading a refractory flat candle to allow itself to be lighted […]

   • 1913 Eleanor Porter: Pollyanna: Chapter 8:

     For five minutes Pollyanna worked swiftly, deftly, combing a refractory curl into fluffiness, perking up a drooping ruffle at the neck, or shaking a pillow into plumpness so that the head might have a better pose. Meanwhile the sick woman, frowning prodigiously, and openly scoffing at the whole procedure, was, in spite of herself, beginning to tingle with a feeling perilously near to excitement.

2. Not affected by great heat.
   • 1855, Frederick Overman, A Treatise on Metallurgy‎, page 315:

     Pure lime is extremely refractory, but readily fusible if any silex is brought in contact with it; […]

3. (medicine) Difficult to treat.
   • 1949, Albert Fields and John Hoesley, "Neck and Shoulder Pain", Calif. Med., 70(6):478–482.,

     Many of the vague and refractory cases of neck and shoulder pain and of migraine may be due to cervical disc disease.

   • 1990, H. A. Ring et al, "Vigabatrin: rational treatment for chronic epilepsy", J. Neurol. Neurosurg.Psychiatry, 53(12):1051–1055,

     In 33 adult patients with long standing refractory epilepsy on treatment with one or two standard anti-convulsant drugs,

4. (biology) Incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
   • 1959, Nobusada Ishiko and Werner R. Loewenstein, "Electrical output of a receptor membrane", Science, 1959, 130:1405-6,

     The production of a generator potential leaves a refractory state in the receptor membrane […]

   • 1970, S.S. Barold et al, "Chest wall stimulation in evaluation of patients with implanted ventricular-inhibited demand pacemakers", Br. Heart J., 32(6):783–789,

     The […] delivery of external stimuli […] delineates the pacemaker refractory period after the emission of a pacing stimulus and after the sensing of a spontaneous beat.

• refractive
• refraction

refractory (plural refractories)

1. A material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.

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