polemic
1
9.3
- noun
- /pəˈlɛmɪk/
- Formal
:
polémico
- I just had an argument with someone who is a disciple of Thomas Wood and his polemic history of the US.
Examples
-
The author's polemic against climate change deniers sparked a lively debate among readers.
-
On both sides of the controversy, then, the scholar is confronted with a polemic that refuses to see itself as polemic.
Academic text (2018) -
My polemic is not aimed at Judith per se; she is a bright spot in a bleak landscape.
Blog text (23) -
This assertion has obvious pertinence for the Catholic polemic against the Protestant assertion that the true church had all but disappeared during the medieval era.
Academic text (2006) -
Such accusations echo the longstanding debate over nativism and cosmopolitanism in Canadian literary criticism; indeed, Barber's insinuations echo those of Stephen Henighan in his polemic When Words Deny the World.
Academic text (2013) -
In her recent book, she presents a detailed polemic defending her views on gender equality.
-
His polemic challenged traditional beliefs and encouraged others to think critically about the doctrine.
Synonyms
34
7.9
A person who argues for a belief or policy
20
6.3
A person who says an opposite or unpopular opinion to start a discussion
6
9.6
A person who strongly criticizes common beliefs or institutions
2
9.9
A person who argues strongly in public to support a controversial idea
1
9.9
A person who often argues about public or political issues
1
8.4
A person who argues with others, often in debates or meetings
A person who argues strongly in writing about religion or ideas
How Combative
- Formal
10
7.9
- Formal
2
9.9
- Formal
1
9.3
563
3.0
- Literature
217
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
polemic = polem + ic
Although formed from a combining form plus '-ic', the root is not recognizable as an English base, so the sense 'a person who strongly attacks or defends an opinion' is not transparently predictable from the parts.
Etymology
The word polemic comes from Greek polemos 'war' and polemikos 'warlike'. A polemic as a person is like a fighter in an argument who attacks or defends a strong belief.