confutation

[ kon-fyoo-tey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of confuting.
2. something that confutes.
3. Classical Oratory. the fourth section of a speech, given over to direct refutation.

Other Words From

• con·fut·a·tive [k, uh, n-, fyoo, -t, uh, -tiv], adjective
• uncon·futa·tive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of confutation¹

1425–75; late Middle English confutacioun (< Middle French ) < Latin confūtātiōn- (stem of confūtātiō ), equivalent to confūtāt ( us ) silenced (past participle of confūtāre; confute, -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Your portrayal of her is the finest confutation of The Method I have ever witnessed.

From The Daily Beast

It threatens his whole doctrine of compact, and its darling derivatives, nullification and secession, with instant confutation.

From Project Gutenberg

For the confutation of this whole reasoning it might be sufficient to ask:—Has it produced these effects?

From Project Gutenberg

The preface contained the first declaration of his famous formula which was applied to the confutation of Blackstone.

From Project Gutenberg

Trifles light as air are confirmation strong as proofs of Holy Writ, and confutation no less strong.

From Project Gutenberg

He had published his doubts in 1823, but his final confutation of the theory of parallelism is found in this Scholion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• conflict
• difference
• disagreement
• discrepancy
• dispute
• inconsistency