Polemic
/pəˈlɛm.ɪk/noun
A strong verbal or written attack on someone or something; a controversial argument or debate.
Did you know?Polemic ultimately comes from Greek polemikos, meaning "warlike," from polemos, "war," so even today it carries the ghost of combat in every heated argument.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“to drive, strike, thrust”
Ancient Greek
Greek
pólemos
“war, battle”
Ancient Greek
Greek
polemikós
“warlike, hostile”
Late Latin
Latin
polemicus
“warlike; argumentative”
Late Middle French
French
polemique
“controversial, disputatious”
16th Century
English
polemick
“warlike; controversial writing”
Modern English
English
polemic
“a controversial argument or attack in speech or writing”