Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Argument has 9 different meanings across 1 category:
a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement
"they were involved in a violent argument"
a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal
"the argument over foreign aid goes on and on"
a summary of the subject or plot of a literary work or play or movie
"the editor added the argument to the poem"
a variable in a logical or mathematical expression whose value determines the dependent variable; if f(x)=y, x is the independent variable
"When debugging the function, I realized that the input parameter was actually an argument determining the output of the calculation."
a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning
"I can't follow your line of reasoning"
A fact or statement used to support a proposition; a reason.
"The lawyer presented compelling arguments to prove that the contract was void from the beginning."
In plain English: An argument is a disagreement where people argue about something they don't agree on.
"They spent all evening arguing about which movie to watch."
Usage: Use "argument" to describe a logical series of statements used to prove a point or support a specific claim. Do not confuse this with a verbal disagreement, which requires the word "fight" or "quarrel."
To put forward as an argument; to argue.
"She argued that the new policy would ultimately benefit everyone involved."
In plain English: To argue means to have a heated disagreement where people exchange opposing opinions angrily.
"They argued about who was going to wash the dishes."
Usage: Use the verb "to argue" when you are presenting reasons or evidence to support a specific point of view. Avoid using "argument" as a verb in modern English, as it is considered archaic and incorrect in everyday speech.
The word argument comes from the Latin argumentum, which entered Middle English through Anglo-Norman and Old French. Although it can be broken down into the parts "argue" and "-ment," this structure was not present in its original form before traveling into English.