REFRACTORY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does refractory mean? 

• REFRACTORY (noun)
  The noun REFRACTORY has 1 sense:

1. lining consisting of material with a high melting point; used to line the inside walls of a furnace

  Familiarity information: REFRACTORY used as a noun is very rare.

• REFRACTORY (adjective)
  The adjective REFRACTORY has 3 senses:

1. not responding to treatment

2. temporarily unresponsive or not fully responsive to a process or stimulus

3. stubbornly resistant to authority or control

  Familiarity information: REFRACTORY used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REFRACTORY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lining consisting of material with a high melting point; used to line the inside walls of a furnace

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

furnace lining; refractory

Hypernyms ("refractory" is a kind of...):

liner; lining (a protective covering that protects an inside surface)

Meronyms (substance of "refractory"):

fireclay (a heat-resistant clay)

alumina; aluminium oxide; aluminum oxide (any of various forms of aluminum oxide occurring naturally as corundum)

• REFRACTORY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not responding to treatment

Synonyms:

refractory; stubborn

Context example:

stubborn rust stains

Similar:

intractable (not tractable; difficult to manage or mold)

Derivation:

refractoriness (the trait of being unmanageable)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Temporarily unresponsive or not fully responsive to a process or stimulus

Context example:

the refractory period of a muscle fiber

Similar:

unresponsive (not responding to some influence or stimulus)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Stubbornly resistant to authority or control

Synonyms:

fractious; recalcitrant; refractory

Context example:

a refractory child

Similar:

disobedient (not obeying or complying with commands of those in authority)

Derivation:

refractoriness (the trait of being unmanageable)

 Context examples 

A regimen consisting of docetaxel and prednisone used for the treatment of metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

(Docetaxel-Prednisone Regimen, NCI Thesaurus)

Erythrodysplasia may be caused by vitamin deficiency or chemotherapy, or it may be a sign of refractory anemia, which is a myelodysplastic syndrome.

(Erythrodysplasia, NCI Dictionary)

A regimen consisting of docetaxel and estramustine used for the treatment of metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

(Docetaxel-Estramustine Regimen, NCI Thesaurus)

Disopyramide also blocks potassium channel and results in prolonged QT interval, thus increases the effective refractory period.

(Disopyramide, NCI Thesaurus)

This regimen is also used to treat relapsed or refractory childhood acute myeloid leukemia.

(Cytarabine-Mitoxantrone Regimen, NCI Thesaurus)

A regimen consisting of etoposide, methylprednisolone, high-dose cytarabine and cisplatin, used to treat relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

(ESHAP Regimen, NCI Thesaurus)

A regimen consisting of estramustine and etoposide used for the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

(Estramustine-Etoposide Regimen, NCI Thesaurus)

A derivative of the original ABVD regimen in which etoposide is substituted for the two drugs, bleomycin and dacarbazine, and is used for the treatment of relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma.

(EVA Regimen, NCI Thesaurus)

A regimen consisting of pentostatin, cyclophosphamide and rituximab used to treat relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma.

(PCR Regimen, NCI Thesaurus)

This rearrangement is associated with both acute myeloid leukemia and refractory anemia with excess blasts.

(ETV6/MN1 Fusion Gene, NCI Thesaurus)