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   refractory

   /rɪˈfrakt(ə)ri/

   adjective

   • 1. stubborn or unmanageable: "his refractory pony"
   • 2. resistant to a process or stimulus: "some granules are refractory to secretory stimuli"
   • ▪ (of a person, illness, or diseased tissue) not yielding to treatment: "healing of previously refractory ulcers"
   • ▪ (of a person or animal) resistant to infection: rare "turkeys can be infected when young but are refractory as adults"
   • ▪ (of a substance) resistant to heat; hard to melt or fuse: technical "refractory materials found in lunar samples"

   noun

   • 1. a substance that is resistant to heat. technical

   Word Origin early 17th century: alteration of obsolete refractary, from Latin refractarius ‘stubborn’ (see also refract).

   Derivatives

   • 1. refractoriness noun

   Scrabble Points: 18

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • F

     4

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • C

     3

   • T

     1

   • O

     1

   • R

     1

   • Y

     4

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