refute
Pronunciation: /rɪˈfjuːt/
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Definition of refute
verb
Derivatives
Origin:
mid 16th century : from Latin refutare 'repel, rebut'
The core meaning of refute is ‘prove a statement or theory to be wrong’, as in attempts to refute Einstein’s theory. In the second half of the 20th century a more general sense developed, meaning simply ‘deny’, as in I absolutely refute the charges made against me. Traditionalists object to this newer use as an unacceptable degradation of the language, but it is widely encountered.
