disputant

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   formal: a person who takes part in a dispute, controversy, or debate

   The mediator asked each disputant to state the issue without interrupting the other.

Formed from dispute + the agent suffix -ant. Dispute came through Middle English disputen and Old French desputer from Latin disputāre ("to weigh, examine, discuss, or argue"), built from dis- ("apart") + putāre ("to reckon or consider"). A disputant is therefore literally one who argues or examines a question from an opposing position.

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