disputation

2 definitions found

disputation - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Disputation \Dis`pu*ta"tion\, n. [OE. desputeson, disputacion,
     OF. desputeison, F. disputation, fr. L. disputatio. See
     Dispute, v. i.]
     1. The act of disputing; a reasoning or argumentation in
        opposition to something, or on opposite sides; controversy
        in words; verbal contest respecting the truth of some
        fact, opinion, proposition, or argument.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in
        opposition to each other on some question proposed.
        [1913 Webster]

disputation - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  disputation
      n 1: the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the
           opposition to it (usually followed by a vote) [syn:
           debate, disputation, public debate]
      2: a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong
         disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument"
         [syn: controversy, contention, contestation,
         disputation, disceptation, tilt, argument, arguing]