Words Beginning with the Prefix “Contra”
The prefix “contra-“ comes from Latin and means “against”, “opposite”, or “counter”. It is commonly used to form words that convey opposition or contrast. Here are several words that begin with the prefix “contra-“:
1. Contradict
- Meaning: To speak against, deny, or assert the opposite of something.
- Example: She always contradicts her brother when they argue.
2. Contraband
- Meaning: Goods that are illegally imported or exported.
- Example: The police seized the contraband goods at the border.
3. Contrast
- Meaning: To compare two or more things in order to highlight differences.
- Example: The artist used light and dark colors to contrast the two subjects in the painting.
4. Contrary
- Meaning: Opposite in nature, direction, or meaning.
- Example: His opinion was contrary to mine.
5. Contravene
- Meaning: To violate or go against a law, rule, or agreement.
- Example: The company’s actions contravened the terms of the contract.
6. Contrite
- Meaning: Feeling remorse or regret for wrongdoing.
- Example: He was contrite after realizing his mistake.
7. Contraption
- Meaning: A complex or unusual mechanical device or machine.
- Example: The scientist built a strange contraption to test his theory.
8. Counteract
- Meaning: To act against something to neutralize or reverse its effect.
- Example: She took medicine to counteract the effects of the poison.
9. Contrive
- Meaning: To devise or invent something skillfully or cleverly.
- Example: He contrived a plan to surprise her on her birthday.
10. Contrivance
- Meaning: A device, especially a mechanical one, invented for a specific purpose.
- Example: The engineer showed us the new contrivance to reduce energy consumption.