I. po ‧ lem ‧ ic /pəˈlemɪk/ BrE AmE noun formal
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: polémique , from Greek polemikos 'liking to fight' , from polemos 'war' ]
1 . [countable] a written or spoken statement that strongly criticizes or defends a particular idea, opinion, or person:
Before long, the dispute degenerated into fierce polemics.
2 . [uncountable] ( also polemics ) the practice or skill of making written or spoken statements that strongly criticize or defend a particular idea, opinion, or person
II. po ‧ lem ‧ i ‧ cal /pəˈlemɪk ə l/ BrE AmE ( also polemic ) adjective formal
using strong arguments to criticize or defend a particular idea, opinion, or person:
The reforms were attacked in a highly polemical piece in the ‘New Yorker’.
—polemically /-kli/ adverb