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refute - 4 dictionary results

re⋅fute

  [ri-fyoot]
Use refute in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -fut⋅ed, -fut⋅ing.
1. to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion or charge.
2. to prove (a person) to be in error.
Origin:
1505–15; < L refūtāre to check, suppress, refute, rebut, equiv. to re- re- + -fūtāre presumably, “to beat” (attested only with the prefixes con- and re-; cf. confute )

Related forms:
re⋅fut⋅a⋅ble  [ri-fyoo-tuh-buhl, ref-yuh-tuh-] , adjective
re⋅fut⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun
re⋅fut⋅a⋅bly, adverb
re⋅fut⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. disprove, rebut. 1, 2. confute.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To refute
re·fute   (rĭ-fyōōt')   
tr.v.   re·fut·ed, re·fut·ing, re·futes
  1. To prove to be false or erroneous; overthrow by argument or proof: refute testimony.
  2. To deny the accuracy or truth of: refuted the results of the poll.

[Latin refūtāre; see bhau- in Indo-European roots.]
re·fut'a·bil'i·ty (rĭ-fyōō'tə-bĭl'ĭ-tē, rěf'yə-tə-) n., re·fut'a·ble (rĭ-fyōō'tə-bəl, rěf'yə-tə-) adj., re·fut'a·bly adv., re·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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Refute

Re*fute"\ (r?*F3t"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Refuted; p. pr. & vb. n. Refuting.] [F. r['e]futer, L. refuteare to repel, refute. Cf. Confute, Refuse to deny.] To disprove and overthrow by argument, evidence, or countervailing proof; to prove to be false or erroneous; to confute; as, to refute arguments; to refute testimony; to refute opinions or theories; to refute a disputant.

There were so many witnesses in these two miracles that it is impossible to refute such multitudes. --Addison.

Syn: To confute; disprove. See Confute.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : refute
Spanish: refutar,
German: widerlegen,
Japanese: 論破する
More Translations »

refute 
1513, "refuse, reject," from L. refutare "drive back, repress, repel, rebut," from re- "back" + -futare "to beat," probably from PIE base *bhat- "to strike down" (cf. beat). Meaning "prove wrong" dates from 1545. Since c.1964 linguists have frowned on the subtle shift in meaning towards "to deny," as it is used in connection with allegation.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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