Dialectic
adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 Any formal system of reasoning that arrives at a truth by the exchange of logical arguments. countable, uncountable
- 2 any formal system of reasoning that arrives at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments wordnet
- 3 A contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their interaction. countable, uncountable
"This situation created the inner dialectic of American history."
- 4 a contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their interaction wordnet
- 5 development by way of overcoming internal contradictions Marxism, countable, uncountable
- 1 Dialectical (of or relating to dialectic)
- 2 Dialectal (of or relating to a dialect).
"Is it [prodezza] a mere dialectic variation of prudenza,[…]?"
- 1 of or relating to or employing dialectic wordnet
Example
More examples"In the same way as Hegel, Panovsky's notion of the dialectic makes history follow a predetermined course."
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”).
From Latin dialecticus, from Ancient Greek δῐᾰλεκτῐκός (dĭălektĭkós).
From dialect + -ic.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.