to altercate
- verb
- /ˈɔltərˌkeɪt/
- Formal
- The children started to altercate about who should get the last cookie.
Examples
-
So you wish to altercate with me?
-
During the meeting, the two lawyers began to altercate over the terms of the contract.
-
Out of this population of altercating utterances, we can hardly be sure whose voice, in this case, disputes the grammaticality of "can't."
Academic text (1995) -
The members of the committee began to altercate loudly over the proposed changes to the policy.
Synonyms
To speak angrily with someone because you disagree
To argue about something or question if it is true
To disagree strongly with another person or group
To talk with someone because you disagree about something
To argue angrily with someone about small things
To argue strongly with each other
Talk angrily to someone because of a disagreement
To argue loudly for a long time
Argue strongly with someone, often in public
Argue with someone and feel angry or upset afterward
To disagree angrily about small, unimportant things
Antonyms
How Heated
Surface Forms
Etymology
Altercate comes from a Latin root alter, which means 'other' and is the same root as alternate; it originally meant to argue with the 'other' person. So, to altercate today is to argue angrily or for a long time.