discussion
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of discussion
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin discussiōn-, stem of discussiō “inquiry, examination,” Latin: “a shaking,” from discuss(us) “shaken” ( see discuss) + -iō -ion
Explanation
If you're in an ongoing discussion with someone over, say, the best way to train a dog, that means you talk to each other over a long period of time, about all the aspects of dog training. Discussion comes from the Latin for "examination by taking things apart," and when you're having a discussion with someone on a complicated topic, it's like you're taking it apart and trying to understand it. Usually in a discussion, people exchange ideas. If you say, "I adore bananas," and your friend says, "me too," that's hardly a discussion. But if your friend says, "bananas are disgusting," then you can get into a discussion about it.
Vocabulary lists containing discussion
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 4
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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.
Last week, Oppenheimer analyst Rick Schafer described the tone as “bullish” in a discussion with Broadcom executives.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
The discussion also turned to another Bezos venture, space travel company Blue Origin.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
This discussion of luck’s role in investing wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging a much-underappreciated comment Benjamin Graham made near the end of his life.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026
An issue that’s generating a lot of discussion in the industry is production in L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
The conversation then shifts to chatter about my team’s district win, and discussion of our first section game—we Fulton Firebirds take on the Decatur Red Devils.
From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone
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.
