ad hominem

¹ad ho·mi·nem

adjective \(ˈ)ad-ˈhä-mə-ˌnem, -nəm\

Definition of AD HOMINEM

1

:  appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect

2

:  marked by or being an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answer to the contentions made

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Origin of AD HOMINEM

New Latin, literally, to the person

First Known Use: 1598

Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

Rhymes with AD HOMINEM

alter idem, cable modem, carpe diem, cave canem, crème de la crème, ICBM, semper idem

²ad hominem

adverb

Definition of AD HOMINEM

:  in an ad hominem manner <was arguing ad hominem>

First Known Use of AD HOMINEM

1962