DISPUTATION

disputation. Disputation, n. the skill or act of controversy

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Dis′pu‐ta″tion (?), n. [[OE. desputeson, disputacion, OF. desputeison, F. disputation, fr. L. disputatio. See Dispute, v. i.]] 1. 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.
2. 2. A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in opposition to each other on some question proposed.