eristic

If you love to argue, you're eristic. Being eristic is a fairly common quality for a debater to have.

Eristic describes things that have to do with an argument, or simply the tendency to debate, especially when someone loves to win an argument and values that more highly than arriving at the truth. The person doing the arguing can also be called an eristic: "It makes me mad when that eristic wins his debates with his false arguments." The Greek root word is eris, "strife or discord."

Definitions of eristic
  1. adjective
    given to disputation for its own sake and often employing specious arguments
    synonyms: eristical
    argumentative
    given to or characterized by argument
  2. noun
    a person who disputes; who is good at or enjoys controversy
    synonyms: controversialist, disputant
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    types:
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    contester
    someone who contests an outcome (of a race or an election etc.)
    accuser
    someone who imputes guilt or blame
    arguer, debater
    someone who engages in debate
    denier
    one who denies
    hairsplitter
    a disputant who makes unreasonably fine distinctions
    logomach, logomachist
    someone given to disputes over words
    obstructer, obstructionist, obstructor, resister, thwarter
    someone who systematically obstructs some action that others want to take
    quarreler, quarreller
    a disputant who quarrels
    crusader, meliorist, reformer, reformist, social reformer
    a disputant who advocates reform
    abolitionist, emancipationist
    a reformer who favors abolishing slavery
    birth-control campaigner, birth-control reformer
    a social reformer who advocates birth control and family planning
    Chartist
    a 19th century English reformer who advocated better social and economic conditions for working people
    civil rights activist, civil rights leader, civil rights worker
    a leader of the political movement dedicated to securing equal opportunity for members of minority groups
    demonstrator, protester
    someone who participates in a public display of group feeling
    devil's advocate
    someone who takes the worse side just for the sake of argument
    dry, prohibitionist
    a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages
    conservationist, environmentalist
    someone who works to protect the environment from destruction or pollution
    feminist, libber, women's liberationist, women's rightist
    a supporter of feminism
    flower child, hippie, hippy, hipster
    someone who rejects the established culture; advocates extreme liberalism in politics and lifestyle
    freedom fighter, insurgent, insurrectionist, rebel
    a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)
    activist, militant
    a militant reformer
    naysayer
    someone with an aggressively negative attitude
    non-resistant, passive resister
    a reformer who believes in passive resistance
    preservationist
    someone who advocates the preservation of historical sites or endangered species or natural areas
    confuter, disprover, rebutter, refuter
    a debater who refutes or disproves by offering contrary evidence or argument
    stonewaller
    one who stonewalls or refuses to answer or cooperate; someone who delays by lengthy speeches etc.
    Utopian
    an idealistic (but usually impractical) social reformer
    wrangler
    someone who argues noisily or angrily
    type of:
    individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul
    a human being
  3. noun
    the art of logical disputation (especially if specious)
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    type of:
    art, artistry, prowess
    a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation
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