Logomachy (Noun)
Meaning
Argument about words or the meaning of words.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The debate between the two linguists devolved into a logomachy, with each side insisting on a different definition of the term.
- The politician's opponents accused her of engaging in logomachy, using clever wordplay to avoid answering the question directly.
- The philosophers' discussion of the meaning of "free will" quickly turned into a logomachy, with each side trying to pin down the other's definition.
- The lawyer's argument relied on a logomachy, parsing the language of the contract to find a loophole that would benefit his client.
- The academic's critique of the theory was dismissed as mere logomachy, a quibble over semantics rather than a substantive challenge.