rebuttal

English

Etymology

rebut +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈbʌtəl/
• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈbʌt̬ᵊl/
• Rhymes: -ʌtəl

Noun

rebuttal (plural rebuttals)

1. The act of refuting something by making a contrary argument, or presenting contrary evidence.
2. A statement, designed to refute or negate specific arguments put forward by opponents.
3. (law) A pleading by a defendant in reply to the evidence put forward by a plaintiff or the prosecution.

Synonyms

• refutation
• confutation
• contradiction

Related terms

• rebut
• rebuttable
• rebutter

Translations

act of refuting something by making a contrary argument

• German: Erwiderung (de) f, Gegenschrift f (in writing), Gegenbeweis (de) m (law)
• Greek: ανασκευή (el) f (anaskeví)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: zasca (es) m

Further reading

• “rebuttal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “rebuttal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• burletta