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Refractory vs Recalcitrant - What's the difference?

refractory | recalcitrant |

Recalcitrant is a synonym of refractory.



As adjectives the difference between refractory and recalcitrant

is that refractory is obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something while recalcitrant is marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority.

As nouns the difference between refractory and recalcitrant

is that refractory is a material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point while recalcitrant is a person who is recalcitrant.

refractory

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.
  • *
  • * 1836 , ,
  • 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
  • Not affected by great heat.
  • * '>citation
  • (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,
  • (biology) Incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
  • * 1959 , Nobusada Ishiko and Werner R. Loewenstein, " Electrical output of a receptor membrane]", [[w:Science (journal), 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 delineates the pacemaker refractory period after the emission of a pacing stimulus and after the sensing of a spontaneous beat.

    Synonyms

    * (obstinate) contrary (inanimates), fractious

    Derived terms

    * refractorily * refractoriness * refractory period

    Noun

    (refractories)
  • A material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.
  • recalcitrant

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority.
  • * 1908 , , "In Trust" in The Hermit and the Wild Woman and Other Stories :
  • His nimble fancy was recalcitrant to mental discipline.
  • * 1914 , , "Death at the Excelsior":
  • There was something in her manner so reminiscent of the school teacher reprimanding a recalcitrant pupil that Mr. Snyder's sense of humor came to his rescue.
  • * 1959 June 8, " Kenya: The Hola Scandal," Time :
  • Kenya's official "Cowan Plan," named after a colonial prison administrator, decreed that recalcitrant prisoners "be manhandled to the site and forced to carry out the task."
  • Unwilling to cooperate socially.
  • Difficult to deal with or to operate.
  • * 2003 , Robert G. Wetzel, Solar radiation as an ecosystem modulator'', in E. Walter Helbling, Horacio Zagarese (editors), ''UV Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems , page 13:
  • The more labile organic constituents of complex dissolved and particulate organic matter are commonly hydrolyzed and metabolized more rapidly than more recalcitrant organic compounds that are less accessible enzymatically.
  • * 2004 , Derek W. Urwin, Germany: From Geographical Expression to Regional Accommodation'', in (editor), ''Regions and Regionalism in Europe , page 47:
  • The Hansa had no legal status, independent finances or a common institutional framework, while the major weapon against recalcitrant members (or opponents) was the threat of embargo.
  • * 2006 , Janet Pierrehumbert, Syllable structure and word structure: a study of triconsonantal clusters in English'', in Patricia A. Keating (editor), ''Phonological Structure and Phonetic Form , page 179:
  • Particularly recalcitrant examples which made it impossible to remove actual words while maintaining the balance of the set were resolved by altering a consonant in the base word to create a new base form.
  • * 2010 , Brian J. Hall, John C. Hall, Sauer's Manual of Skin Diseases , page 251:
  • However, when a clinician is faced with a more recalcitrant case, it is important to remember to ask the patient whether psychological, social, or occupational stress might be contributing to the activity of the skin disorder.
  • * '>citation
  • Not viable for an extended period; damaged by drying or freezing.
  • Synonyms

    * (stubbornly unwilling to obey authority) argumentative, disobedient * (difficult to operate or deal with) stubborn, unruly

    Antonyms

    * (stubbornly unwilling to obey authority) compliant, obedient * (difficult to operate or deal with) amenable, cooperative, eager * (not viable for long period) orthodox

    Derived terms

    * recalcitrance * recalcitrancy

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who is recalcitrant.
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