how to pronounce contra

/ˈkɑːntɹə/

audio example by a male speaker

audio example by a female speaker

the above transcription of contra is a detailed (narrow) transcription according to the rules of the International Phonetic Association; you can find a description of each symbol by clicking the phoneme buttons in the secction below.

contra is pronounced in two syllables

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1.

ɑː

2. example pitch curve for pronunciation of contra

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video examples of contra pronunciation

An example use of contra in a speech by a native speaker of american english:

“… arguments either pro or contra in fact …”

meanings of contra

noun:

A country dance.
A member of any of various rightist guerrilla groups violently opposing the socialist Sandinista government of Nicaragua and secretly funded by the United States government in the 1980s.
A conservative; originally tied to Nicaraguan counter-revolutionaries.
A contra dance.
An entry (or account) that cancels another entry (or account).
A deal to swap goods or services.
Any of the musical instruments in the contrabass range, e.g. contrabassoon, contrabass clarinet or, especially, double bass.

preposition:

Against; contrary or opposed to; in opposition or contrast to.

adverb:

Contrary to something.

verb:

To undo; to reverse.

contra frequency in english - C2+ level of CEFR

the word contra occurs in english on average 0.6 times per one million words; this frequency warrants it to be in the study list for C2+ level of language mastery according to CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference.