English → Latin
“argument” in Latin
argūmentumargument (as in an argument for a position); evidence, a proof; a point, a theme; a topic, thesisratiōreason, reasoning, explanation, ground, motive, rationality, rationale, purpose; calculation, account, accounting, reckosententiaa way of thinking, view, opinion, judgement or sentence; a purpose, intention, will (one's thinking in respect to the fusummatop, summit, highest point or place; the principal or main thing; sum, summary, totalsummāriumsummary; epitome; abstractepitomēepitome; abridgement; synopsisindexA pointer, indicator.; The index finger, forefinger.; An index, list, catalogue, table, summary, digest.quaestiōproblem; seeking, search; inquiry, investigation, questioning, questioncontrōversiaa quarrel, dispute, debate; lawsuit; contradictiondisceptātiōdispute, disputation, debate, discussion
The English word argument itself goes back to Latin arguō, through argumentum.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
argument
proof, reason, argumentum: ratio. To bring or allege arguments, argumenta or rationes afferre: to derive arguments from, argumenta ex re ducere, sumere, cruere; to reject anargument, argumentum rejicere: to press an argument, argumentum premere: to be an argumrnt, argumento esse. Observe. An argument for any thing, not argumentum pro aliqua re, but argumenium quo aliquid esse demonstratur, etc. To bring many arguments for the existence of a God, multis argumentis Deum esse docere. That is no argument, nullum verum id argumentum est. To produce or allege many probable arguments for that opinion, multa in eam partem probabiliter argumentari (Liv.). Argumentum is often left out when an adjective is used; e.g., “the strongest argument for this is”, etc., firmissimum hoc afferri videtur, quod, etc. (Cic.).
Subject of a discourse or writing, sententia: sententiae (the principal thought or thoughts): argumentum (subject matter of a speech, essay, etc., for which materia is never used in the classics): summa (the main subject; e.g., of a letter, conversation, etc.).
Contents summed up by way of abstract, summarium; epitome [Vid: ABRIDGMENT]: index (Quint.).
Subject under discussion, quaestio: controversia: res controversa: disceptatio. Often by circumlocution with quod cadit in controversiam or disceptationem.
Dispute, discussion, concertatio: disputatio: pugna: controversia. To make anything the subject of an argument, rem in controversiam vocare, adducere, deducere. An argument arises, oritur certamen or controversia (de aliqua re cum aliquo). To hold an argument about anything with any body, disputare de aliqua recum aliquo.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for argument?
- The usual Latin words for “argument” are argūmentum, ratiō, sententia; also summa, summārium, epitomē. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.