Dis′pu‐ta″tion (?), n. [OE. desputeson, disputacion, OF. desputeison, F. disputation, fr. L. disputatio. See Dispute, v. i.] 1. The act of disputing; a reasoning or argumentation in opposition to something, or on opposite sides; controversy in words; verbal contest respecting the truth of some fact, opinion, proposition, or argument.
2. A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in opposition to each other on some question proposed.