debate

English

Etymology

From Middle English debaten, from Old French debatre (“to fight, contend, debate, also literally to beat down”), from Romanic desbattere, from Latin dis- (“apart, in different directions”) + battuere (“to beat, to fence”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈbeɪt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪˈbeɪt/, /di-/, /də-/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪt

Noun

debate (countable and uncountable, plural debates)

1. An argument, or discussion, usually in an ordered or formal setting, often with more than two people, generally ending with a vote or other decision.

   After a four-hour debate, the committee voted to table the motion.

2. An informal and spirited but generally civil discussion of opposing views.

   The debate over the age of the universe is thousands of years old.

   There was a bit of a debate over who should pay for the damaged fence.

   • 2013 July 26, Leo Hickman, “How algorithms rule the world”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 26:

     The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives. And, as their ubiquity spreads, so too does the debate around whether we should allow ourselves to become so reliant on them – and who, if anyone, is policing their use.

3. (uncountable) Discussion of opposing views.

   There has been considerable debate concerning exactly how to format these articles.

   • 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist:

     Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: […] . The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light. The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the “water-oxidizing complex”, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom.

4. (frequently in the French form débat) A type of literary composition, taking the form of a discussion or disputation, commonly found in the vernacular medieval poetry of many European countries, as well as in medieval Latin.
5. (obsolete) Strife, discord.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

debate (third-person singular simple present debates, present participle debating, simple past and past participle debated)

1. (transitive, intransitive, reciprocal) To participate in a debate; to dispute, argue, especially in a public arena.

   "Debate me, coward!" snarled the completely normal intellectual.

   • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     a wise council […] that did debate this business

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Proverbs 25:9:

     Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself.

   • 1709 August 22 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Thursday, August 11, 1709”, in The Tatler, number 53; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, , London stereotype edition, volume I, London: I. Walker and Co.;  , 1822, →OCLC:

     He presents that great soul debating upon the subject of life and death with his intimate friends.

   • 2024 March 20, Conrad Landin, “"Farcical" Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act isn't working”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 25:

     When the legislation was debated by the House of Commons, Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said it was "riddled with holes", while former Conservative Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said it was "badly written".

2. (obsolete, intransitive, reciprocal) To fight.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.viii:

     Well knew they both his person, sith of late / With him in bloudie armes they rashly did debate.

   • 1609, William Shakespeare, Sonnet 15:

     […] wasteful Time debateth with Decay,
     To change your day of youth to sullied night

3. (obsolete, transitive) To engage in combat for; to strive for.
   • 1838, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic. , volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Boston, Mass.: American Stationers’ Company; John B. Russell, →OCLC:

     Volunteers […] thronged to serve under his banner, and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardour in Spain as on the plains of Palestine.

4. (transitive) To consider (to oneself), to think over, to attempt to decide

   He was debating where he'd spend his holiday.

Derived terms

• debater
• mass debate

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• “debate”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “debate”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• beated, bed tea, bed-tea, betaed

Albanian

Noun

debate m pl

1. indefinite plural of debat

Portuguese

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Deverbal from debater or borrowed from French débat.

Noun

debate m (plural debates)

1. debate

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:debate.

Etymology 2

Verb

debate

1. inflection of debater:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:debate.

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /deˈbate/

• Audio (Venezuela):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ate
• Syllabification: de‧ba‧te

Etymology 1

Deverbal from debatir.

Noun

debate m (plural debates)

1. debate
2. discussion

   Synonym: discusión

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

debate

1. inflection of debatir:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “debate”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish debate.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /deˈbate/,
• Hyphenation: de‧ba‧te

Noun

debate (Baybayin spelling ᜇᜒᜊᜆᜒ)

1. debate; heated discussion

   Synonyms: pagtatalo, pagkakatwiranan, pangangatwiranan

Derived terms