n.
Pronunciation: p ə - ' le-mik
Function: noun
Etymology: French polémique, from Middle French, from polemique controversial, from Greek polemikos warlike, hostile, from polemos war; perhaps akin to Greek pelemizein to shake, Old English eal felo baleful
Date: 1638
1 a : an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another b : the art or practice of disputation or controversy ― usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
2 : an aggressive controversialist : DISPUTANT
– po · lem · i · cist \ - ' le-m ə -sist \ noun