refractory.

1. Capable of withstanding high temperatures without losing suitability for its intended use.

2. Stubbornly resistant to control, guidance, or correction.

3. Persisting despite, or not responding adequately to, a treatment.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• refractory brick
• refractory lining

On the page

Refractory brick lined the chamber beyond the inspection hatch.

The damaged refractory lining exposed the shell beneath it.

Usage notes

Primary category: sci-fi. Forms: Comparative more refractory; superlative most refractory where gradation is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.