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confute

 - 3 dictionary results

con⋅fute

  [kuhn-fyoot]
Use confute in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -fut⋅ed, -fut⋅ing.
1. to prove to be false, invalid, or defective; disprove: to confute an argument.
2. to prove (a person) to be wrong by argument or proof: to confute one's opponent.
3. Obsolete. to bring to naught; confound.
Origin:
1520–30; < L confūtāre to abash, silence, refute, equiv. to con- con- + -fūtāre; cf. refute

Related forms:
con⋅fut⋅a⋅ble, adjective
con⋅fut⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To confute
con·fute   (kən-fyōōt')   
tr.v.   con·fut·ed, con·fut·ing, con·futes

  1. To prove to be wrong or in error; refute decisively.

  2. Obsolete To confound.


[Latin cōnfūtāre; see bhau- in Indo-European roots.]
con·fut'a·ble adj., con·fu'ta·tive (kən-fyōō'tə-tĭv) adj., con·fut'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

confute 
1529, from L. confutare "disprove, restrain, silence," from com- intensive prefix + *futare "to beat," from PIE base *bhau-t, *bhu-t "to strike, beat."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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