dialectic
/ˌdaɪəˈlɛktɪk/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.69 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any formal system of reasoning that arrives at a truth by the exchange of logical arguments.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their interaction.
Countable; Uncountable
adj
Dialectical (of or relating to dialectic)
Example Sentences
- "This situation created the inner dialectic of American history."
- "Is it [prodezza] a mere dialectic variation of prudenza,[…]?"
- "[…] if any one has, in common discourse, an indistinct, hesitating, dialectic, or otherwise faulty, delivery, his Natural manner certainly is not what he should adopt in public speaking; […]"
- "But our able Secretary, Mr. Laidlay, has referred me to another alphabet, dialectic of the Hebrew, as set forth in the interpretation of the bilingual inscription of Thongga (Journal Asiatique, Fevrier, 1843) to which be conceives the characters of this brief specimen may be considered more properly to belong."
- "[…] we have a theory sufficiently consistent with the remote philological relations traceable between Cymri and Gael, and with the close dialectic affinities between Celtic Scotland and Ireland."
Etymology
From Old French dialectique, from Late Latin dialectica, from Ancient Greek διαλεκτική (dialektikḗ, “the art of argument through interactive questioning and answering”), from διαλεκτικός (dialektikós, “relating to dialogue”), from διαλέγομαι (dialégomai, “to participate in a dialogue”), from διά (diá, “through, across”) + λέγειν (légein, “to speak”).
Origin
- Source language: Old French
Word Breakdown
Usage
Inflected Forms
dialectics (plural)
dialectick (alternative, obsolete)
more dialectic (comparative)
most dialectic (superlative)