Etymology
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disputation (n.)

late 14c., disputacioun, "formal debate or discussion before an audience or official body regarding the truth of something," from Old French desputasion and directly from Latin disputationem (nominative disputatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of disputare "weigh, examine, discuss, argue, explain" (see dispute (v.)). Earlier was desputeison (c. 1300), from Old French desputaison.

Disputation, as game for teaching logic, was a principal part of the scholastic exercises, and perhaps may still be so in some countries. A master presided, and after a sufficient time decided in favor of one of the disputants, who was then obliged to give his adversary a great thwack with a wooden instrument. [Century Dictionary, 1895]

Entries linking to disputation

dispute (v.)

c. 1300, "engage in argumentation or discussion," from Old French desputer (12c.) "dispute, fight over, contend for, discuss" and directly from Latin disputare "weigh, examine, discuss, argue, explain," from dis- "separately, apart" (see dis-) + putare "to count, consider," originally "to prune, make clean, clear up" (from PIE root *pau- (2) "to cut, strike, stamp").

The Latin word was used in Vulgate in sense of "to argue, contend with words." In English, transitive sense of "argue against, attempt to disprove, deny" is from 1510s. Related: Disputable; disputed; disputing.

disputatious (adj.)

"pertaining to or characterized by dispute; inclined to disputing," 1650s; see disputation + -ous. Related: Disputatiously. In the sense "inclined to disputation," earlier words were disputative (1570s), disputeful (1630s); Shakespeare used disputable (c. 1600).

updated on July 25, 2019

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Dictionary entries near disputation

disproportion

disproportionate

disprove

disputable

disputant

disputation

disputatious

dispute

disqualification

disqualify

disquiet

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