Contrary means opposite in nature or direction. Contrary winds, on the contrary, contrary to expectation.
Two stresses divide the meanings: stressed on the first syllable it means opposite, stressed on the second it means stubbornly awkward — a contrary child. On the contrary is used to reject what was just said, and contrary to means against.
1adjectivecontraryOpposite in nature or direction.
“Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind.”
2adjectivestubbornlyStubbornly awkward.
“She's being contrary again, refusing to eat anything just because we suggested it.”
contrary is a quality of opposition.
Latin contrarius means opposite, from contra, against.
Latin
contrārius — opposite, opposed, contrary
Old French
contraire
Middle English
contrarie
English, today
contrary
Built from
From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrārius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contrā (“against”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA