argumentum ad hominem
Britishnoun
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fallacious argument that attacks not an opponent's beliefs but his motives or character
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argument that shows an opponent's statement to be inconsistent with his other beliefs
-
an instance of either of these
Etymology
Origin of argumentum ad hominem
literally: argument to the person
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This would be a good argumentum ad hominem in order to avoid war.
From My Three Years in America by Johann Heinrich Andreas Hermann Albrecht Graf von Bernstorff
He’s an intellectual giant, I hardly know whether he is greater as a subjective preacher, or in the luminous objectivity of his argumentum ad hominem.
From Talkers With Illustrations by John Bate
A sharp argumentum ad hominem, for the benefit of the ultra-radical accuser closes this division of his defence.
From The Bay State Monthly — Volume 1, No. 6, June, 1884 by Various
It is fortunate for the winding up of controversy that in every discussion with determinism this argumentum ad hominem can be its adversary's last word.
From The Will to Believe : and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by William James
The general spirit of Cyril's answer is the argumentum ad hominem; showing that the same faults, even if true, are equally true of the Greek scheme of religion.
From History of Free Thought in Reference to The Christian Religion by Adam Storey Farrar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
