refractory
adjective/rɪˈfræktəri/
/rɪˈfræktəri/
- (formal) (of a person) difficult to control; behaving badly
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- (medical) (of a disease or medical condition) difficult to treat or cure
Word Originearly 17th cent.: alteration of obsolete refractary, from Latin refractarius ‘stubborn’ (see also refract).
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refractory