Pronunciation: di- ' spyüt
Function: verb
Inflected Form: dis · put · ed ; dis · put · ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French desputer, from Latin disputare to discuss, from dis- + putare to think
Date: 13th century
intransitive verb : to engage in argument : DEBATE especially : to argue irritably or with irritating persistence
transitive verb
1 a : to make the subject of disputation <legislators hotly disputed the bill> b : to call into question <her honesty was never disputed >
2 a : to struggle against : OPPOSE < disputed the advance of the invaders> b : to contend over <both sides disputed the bridgehead>
– dis · put · able \ di- ' spyü-t ə -b ə l, ' dis-py ə - \ adjective
– dis · put · ably \ -bl ē \ adverb
– dis · put · er noun