Definition
A person who gainsays; someone who contradicts, denies, or argues against something.
Etymology
From 'gainsay' plus the agent suffix '-er,' creating a noun for one who performs the action of contradicting or denying. This word has roots in Middle English and Old Norse through its verbal ancestor.
Kelly Says
A gainsayer is a professional arguer or skeptic—someone who always says no! The medieval use of this term shows that people have always had critics and contrarians, and back then they needed a fancy word for them.
Translations
ARالعربية
مُعارِض
mu-aarij
BNবাংলা
বিরোধী
bee-roh-gee
CACatalà
opositor
o-po-si-tor
DADansk
modstander
mod-stan-der
DEDeutsch
Widersprecher
vee-der-shprei-ker
ELΕλληνικά
αντιπρόσωπος
an-ti-pro-so-pos
ESEspañol
negador
neh-GOH-dor
FISuomi
vastustaja
va-stu-ta-ja
FRFrançais
détracteur
deh-trak-TEHR
HIहिन्दी
विरोधी
vee-roh-dee
HUMagyar
ellenfeud
el-len-fud
IDBahasa Indonesia
penentang
pen-ten-tang
ITItaliano
contrariante
kon-tra-ree-an-teh
MSBahasa Melayu
penentang
pen-ten-tang
NLNederlands
tegenstander
te-gen-stan-der
NONorsk
motstander
mot-stan-der
PLPolski
przeciwnik
chwi-tew-nik
PTPortuguês
contrário
kon-tra-ree-oh
RORomână
oponent
o-po-nent
RUРусский
противник
protiv-nik
SVSvenska
motståndare
mot-stån-da-reh
SWKiswahili
mwanakwenda
mwa-na-kwenda
TAதமிழ்
எதிர்ப்பாளர்
edhir-pa-la-r
TEతెలుగు
విరోధి
vee-ro-dhi
THไทย
ผู้คัดค้าน
poo khat kan
TLTL
nakakasalungat
na-ka-ka-sa-lu-ngat
UKУкраїнська
противник
protiv-nik
VITiếng Việt
người phản đối
ngooy phan doi
YOYO
àwọn ẹ̀yẹ
awon eh-yeh
ZUZU
umthengisi
oom-then-gee-see