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- Dictionarypolemic/pəˈlɛmɪk/
noun
- 1. a speech or piece of writing expressing a strongly critical attack on or controversial opinion about someone or something: "his polemic against the cultural relativism of the Sixties" Similar
adjective
- 1. expressing or constituting a strongly critical attack on or controversial opinion about someone or something; polemical: "unashamedly polemic writing"
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Polemic, which traces back ultimately to the Greek word for war, polemos, is the word you want to refer specifically to an aggressive attack on someone’s ideas or principles. Someone who is cheesed off because they don’t like cheese, for example, wouldn’t write a polemic about it.
POLEMIC definition: 1. a piece of writing or a speech in which a person strongly attacks or defends a particular…. Learn more.
POLEMIC meaning: 1. a piece of writing or a speech in which a person strongly attacks or defends a particular…. Learn more.
POLEMICAL definition: 1. (of a piece of writing or a speech) strongly attacking or defending a particular opinion…. Learn more.
A polemic is a very strong written or spoken attack on, or defence of, a particular belief or opinion. ...a polemic against the danger of secret societies. The book is both a history and a passionate polemic for tolerance.
Polemic (/ pəˈlɛmɪk / pə-LEHM-ick, US also /- ˈlimɪk / -LEEM-ick) is contentious rhetoric intended to support a specific position by forthright claims and to undermine the opposing position. The practice of such argumentation is called polemics, which are seen in arguments on controversial topics.
A polemic is something that stirs up controversy by having a negative opinion, usually aimed at a particular group. A piece of writing can be a polemic, as long as it gets someone's goat.
