gainsayer

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a person who contradicts, denies, or opposes a claim

   The proposal survived the debate despite every gainsayer who challenged its assumptions.

From Middle English gainsayer, an agent noun from gainsay. The first element descends from an Old English form meaning 'against,' while say descends from Old English secgan. A gainsayer is thus literally one who says against something.

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External links

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