[po.lem.ic] n [F polemique, fr. MF, fr. polemique controversial, fr. Gk polemikos warlike, hostile, fr. polemos war; perh. akin to Gk pelemizein to shake, OE ealfelo baleful] (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--usu. used in pl. but sing. or pl. in constr.
2: an aggressive controversialist: disputant -- po.lem.i.cist n