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refute

[ri-fyoot]
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verb (used with object), re·fut·ed, re·fut·ing.

to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion or charge.
to prove (a person) to be in error.

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RELATED WORDS

repudiate, contradict, expose, counter, quash, oppose, disprove, squelch, rebut, invalidate, negate, cancel, debate, contend, top, crush, overthrow, convict, dispute, contravene

Nearby words

  1. refuse,
  2. refusenik,
  3. refusion,
  4. refutation,
  5. refutative,
  6. reg,
  7. reg.,
  8. reg. prof.,
  9. regain,
  10. regal

Origin of refute

1505–15; < Latin refūtāre “to check, suppress, refute, rebut,” equivalent to re- re- + -fūtāre presumably, “to beat” (attested only with the prefixes con- and re-; cf. confute)
Related forms
Can be confuseddeny disapprove disprove rebut refutedispute refuterefudiate refute repudiate (see word story at refudiate)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for refute

British Dictionary definitions for refute

refute

verb

(tr) to prove (a statement, theory, charge, etc) of (a person) to be false or incorrect; disprove
to deny (a claim, charge, allegation, etc)
Derived Formsrefutable (ˈrɛfjʊtəbəl, rɪˈfjuː-), adjectiverefutability (ˌrɛfjʊtəˈbɪlɪtɪ, rɪˌfjuː-), nounrefutably, adverbrefuter, noun

Word Origin for refute

C16: from Latin refūtāre to rebut

usage

The use of refute to mean deny is thought by many people to be incorrect
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for refute

refute

v.

1510s, "refuse, reject," from Middle French réfuter (16c.) and directly from Latin refutare "drive back; rebut, disprove; repress, repel, resist, oppose," from re- "back" (see re-) + -futare "to beat," probably from PIE root *bhau- "to strike down" (see bat (n.1)).

Meaning "prove wrong" dates from 1540s. Since c.1964 linguists have frowned on the subtle shift in meaning towards "to deny," as it is used in connection with allegation. Related: Refuted; refuting.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper