argument

AHR-gyuu-muhnt/ˈɑɹɡjʊmənt/UKAH-gyuu-muhnt/ˈɑːɡjʊmənt/

14 meanings of argument

1
point in favornounfigurativelycountable
A reason or fact you give to show that something is true.
Like a reason you give to get someone on your side.
Her main argument was that the plan would save money.
He gave a strong argument for staying home.
UsageYou make an argument for or against something.
Similarreason, point, case, rationale, justification
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2
quarrelnouncountable
A spoken fight in which people disagree, often loudly.
Like two people shouting back and forth instead of talking calmly.
They had a loud argument about money last night.
The argument between the brothers lasted for hours.
UsageSay you have an argument with someone about something.
Similarquarrel, dispute, disagreement, fight, conflict
Oppositeagreement, accord
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3
nounfigurativelycountable
A set of reasons arranged to show that a final point follows from the ones before it.
Like a row of stepping stones that leads you to one final spot.
A good argument starts with facts and ends with a conclusion.
She laid out her argument one step at a time until the conclusion was clear.
Similarinference
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4
act of reasoningnoun
The act of giving reasons to explain or prove something.
Like walking someone through your thinking one step at a time.
He changed my mind by careful argument, not by shouting.
She won the class over by calm argument, not by force.
UsageOften used without a or the: won by argument.
Similarreasoning, argumentation, logic
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5
programmingnouncountable
in computer programs, a value that you give to a function or command when you use it
Like handing a machine the thing it needs before it starts working.
The function takes one argument, the user's name.
You can pass a number as an argument to this function.
UsageYou pass an argument to a function.
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Less common meanings

6
math inputnouncountable
in math, the number you put into a function to get its result
Like the number you type into a calculator before it gives an answer.
In this function, x is the argument.
If the argument of f(x) = 2x is 5, the answer is 10.
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7
physical clashnounhumorouseuphemistichumorouscountable
Any clash or bump, said in a joking way as if it were a fight.
Like joking that your car 'fought' a pole when it really just hit it.
My bike had an argument with a tree and lost.
The truck and the wall had a small argument at the corner.
UsageSay a thing had or lost an argument with another thing. Avoid it when someone was badly hurt.
Similarrun-in, encounter, collision, altercation
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8
summarynouncountable
A short summary placed at the start of a book or chapter to tell you what it covers.
Like the description on the back of a book that tells you the story before you read it.
Each chapter opens with a short argument telling readers what happens next.
Each book of the long poem begins with a short argument.
Similarsummary, synopsis, outline, abstract
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9
grammarnouncountable
A word or phrase that fills one of a verb's main roles, such as its subject or object.
In that sentence, 'the dog' is an argument of the verb.
The verb 'see' has two arguments: the person who sees and the thing that is seen.
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10
themenounobsoletecountable or uncountable
The subject or topic that a piece of writing, art, or speech is about.
The abstract, or argument of the piece, is shortly as follows.
1844, Francis Jeffrey, “Sardanapalus, a Tragedy. The Two Foscari, a Tragedy. Cain, a Mystery. By Lord Byron. 8vo. pp. 440. Murray, LondonHere, argument means the subject or main story of the piece.
Belike this ſhow imports the argument of the play.
c. 1599, William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet
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11
nounobsoletecountable or uncountable
The matter being dealt with or talked about at the moment.
As neere as I could ſift him on that argument, On ſome apparent danger ſeene in him, Aimde at your highnes, no inueterate malice.
1595, [William Shakespeare], The Tragedie of King Richard the Second. (First Quarto)Here, argument means the matter being talked about at the time.
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12
proofnounarchaiccountable or uncountable
Proof or a piece of evidence that something is true.
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13
verbobsoleteintransitive
an old use meaning to argue or to give reasons and proof for something
Hence, domestic potato marketing cannot be argumented in such fashion.
1983, Gregory J. Scott, Marketing Bhutan’s Potatoes: Present Patterns and Future ProspectsHere, argumented means argued, putting forward a point to support an idea.
Note
14
noun
The angle that shows the direction of a complex number when it is drawn on a graph.

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–12

It came through Old French from Latin argumentum, and can be seen as argue plus -ment.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Argument came through Old French from Latin argumentum. en.wiktionary.org
The borrowed word can be analysed as argue plus -ment; this is not its historical formation in English. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 13

The old verb senses came from Old French argumenter, from Latin argumentari 'to give arguments or proof', built on argumentum.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The old English verb senses came from Old French argumenter. en.wiktionary.org
The French verb comes from Latin argumentari, meaning to give arguments or proof. en.wiktionary.org
The Latin verb is built on argumentum. fr.wiktionary.org