What does argument mean?
Argument is a noun with two principal meanings that sit in productive tension with each other. In its most familiar everyday sense, it denotes a quarrel — a verbal exchange in which people disagree, often heatedly ('they had an argument about money'). In its more formal sense, it means a reasoned case: a connected set of statements, one of which (the conclusion) is offered as supported by the others (the premises), as used in logic, law, philosophy, and academic writing ('a persuasive argument for reform'). The word also has technical uses in mathematics and computing, where it refers to an independent variable or a value supplied to a function. Derived from the Latin arguere, 'to make clear' or 'to prove', argument retains that core idea of bringing reasons into the open. Its register ranges from casual conversation to rigorous scholarship, making it one of the most versatile words in English for describing how humans reason — and occasionally how they clash.
nounA reason or set of reasons given in support of an idea, theory, or point of view; also a disagreement or heated exchange between people.
- An exchange of diverging or opposite views, typically a heated or angry one (a quarrel or dispute).
- A reason or set of reasons put forward in support of a proposition (as in logic, law, or debate).
- In mathematics and computing: an independent variable or a value passed to a function.
- A summary of the subject matter of a book or literary work (archaic/literary).
"She presented a compelling argument for delaying the project until funding was secured."
"They had a bitter argument over who should pay the bill."
"The lawyer built her case around a single, carefully constructed argument."
Standard plural; used identically in British and American English across all senses.
"The paper examines several competing arguments about the origins of the conflict."
The word 'argument' comes from Latin arguere, 'to make clear' — so every argument you've ever had was, at root, an attempt to shed light.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of argument
Argument derives from the Latin verb arguere, meaning 'to make clear, prove, or declare', via the Latin noun argumentum, 'that which is made clear or provides proof'. It entered English through Old French in the Middle Ages, initially carrying senses related to proof and evidence before broadening to include disputes and reasoned cases. Cognates and derivatives from the same Latin root include argue, arguable, arguably, and argumentation.
Related word forms
How argument is actually used
In everyday speech 'argument' often implies anger or conflict, but in academic, legal, and logical contexts it carries no such connotation — it simply means a reasoned case. The plural sense of 'an argument between two people' is common in both British and American English; British usage sometimes uses 'row' informally for a heated quarrel.
Easily confused with argument
'Augment' is a verb meaning to make something larger or stronger by adding to it, while 'argument' is a noun referring to reasons or a dispute.