diatribe
[dahy-uh-trahyb]
- a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism: repeated diatribes against the senator.
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Origin of diatribe
1575–85; < Latin diatriba < Greek diatribḗ pastime, study, discourse, derivative of diatríbein to rub away (dia- dia- + tríbein to rub)
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
tiradeinvectivedenunciationjeremiadscreedphilippiccastigationobjectiononslaughtabusedisputationstricturevituperationrevilingExamples from the Web for diatribe
Contemporary Examples
But his diatribe in The Hague got him just the sort of international attention he wanted.
This diatribe against the pitiful Washington Redskins summed it all up for their fans.
What the diatribe lacked in grammatical proficiency, it made up for in drama.
Netflix Promises More ‘Arrested Development,’ Batman Prequel Coming to FoxCulture Team
September 25, 2013
The remark was meant as a compliment; it occurs in the midst of a diatribe against Jews for joking too much.
But Klein has now unleashed a very public Facebook diatribe against the board.
Historical Examples
Jill had listened to this diatribe with a certain uneasiness.
Jill the RecklessP. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse
Aileen could not help smiling at this diatribe on "the times."
Flamsted quarriesMary E. Waller
Oh, whats the use, said Tom at length, interrupting a diatribe.
The Bungalow Boys North of Fifty-ThreeDexter J. Forrester
This diatribe he concluded thus: ‘You know we owe England nothing.’
Theodore Watts-DuntonJames Douglas
In the midst of the diatribe I stroll across to the aquarium.
Naples Past and PresentArthur H. Norway
diatribe
- a bitter or violent criticism or attack; denunciation
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin diatriba learned debate, from Greek diatribē discourse, pastime, from diatribein to while away, from dia- + tribein to rub
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for diatribe
n.
1640s (in Latin form in English from 1580s), "discourse, critical dissertation," from French diatribe (15c.), from Latin diatriba "learned discussion," from Greek diatribe "employment, study," in Plato, "discourse," literally "a wearing away (of time)," from dia- "away" (see dia-) + tribein "to wear, rub," from PIE root *ter- "to rub, turn, twist" (see throw). Sense of "invective" is 1804, apparently from French.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper