Contra

Part of speech: preposition

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒntɹə/

Definitions

1. Against or in opposition to something, often used in formal or legal contexts
2. In opposition to a particular position or argument, often utilized in scholarly discussions or debates
3. Serving as a counterpoint to an idea, principle, or established norm, typically in formal rhetoric or analysis

Etymology: "Contra" arrived in English as a preposition meaning "against" or "opposed to," and it still turns up in phrases like "pro and contra." It comes from Latin "contrā," which carried the same sense of opposition, and its older roots lie in the idea of facing someone or something, a meaning the Latin word kept in its prepositional use. Its most familiar English life is as a prefix-like element in words such as "contradict" and "contrary," though the preposition itself stands alone in Latin-derived phrases. Speakers today tend to treat it as a stand-alone word only in formal or fixed expressions, where it signals a position set against another.