adjective
- hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient: a refractory child.
- resisting ordinary methods of treatment.
- difficult to fuse, reduce, or work, as an ore or metal.
noun, plural re·frac·to·ries.
- a material having the ability to retain its physical shape and chemical identity when subjected to high temperatures.
- refractories, bricks of various shapes used in lining furnaces.
adjective
- unmanageable or obstinate
- med not responding to treatment
- (of a material) able to withstand high temperatures without fusion or decomposition
noun plural -ries
- a material, such as fireclay or alumina, that is able to withstand high temperatures: used to line furnaces, kilns, etc
“stubborn, obstinate, perverse,” 1610s (earlier refractorious, 1550s, refractary, c.1600), from Latin refractarius “obstinate, stubborn,” from past participle stem of refringere (see refraction). Related: Refractorily; refractoriness.
adj.
- Resistant to treatment, as a disease.
- Unresponsive to stimuli, as a muscle or nerve fiber.
- Having a high melting point. Ceramics that are made from clay and minerals are often refractory, as are metal oxides and carbides. Refractory materials are often used as liners in furnaces.
- Resistant to heat.
- Of or relating to a refractory period.