1. Obstinately resistant to authority or control. See synonyms at unruly. 2. Difficult to melt or work; resistant to heat: a refractory material such as silica.3. Resistant to treatment: a refractory case of acne.
NOUN:
Inflected forms: pl. re·frac·to·ries 1. One that is refractory. 2. Material that has a high melting point.
ETYMOLOGY:
Alteration (influenced by adjectives in –ory) of obsolete refractary, from Latin refrctrius, from refrctus, past participle of refringere, to break up. See refract.
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