- Trending Now: More Trending:
- lowlife kakistocracy slimeball salacious oligarch
- ALL
oppugn was our Word of the Day on 08/17/2017. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Examples of oppugn in a Sentence
had the temerity to oppugn the merits of a study in a discipline that he knows nothing about
guardians of liberty who staunchly oppugned tyranny, whether from the right or the left
Did You Know?
Oppugn was first recorded in English in the 15th century. It came to Middle English from the Latin verb oppugnare, which in turn derived from the combination of ob-, meaning "against," and pugnare, meaning "to fight." "Pugnare" itself is descended from the same ancient word that gave Latin the word pugnus, meaning "fist." It's no surprise, then, that "oppugn" was adopted into English to refer to fighting against something or someone, either physically (as in "the dictatorship will oppugn all who oppose it") or verbally (as in "oppugn an argument"). Other descendants of "pugnare" in English include the equally aggressive "pugnacious," "impugn," "repugnant," and the rare "inexpugnable" ("incapable of being subdued or overthrown").
Origin and Etymology of oppugn
Learn More about oppugn
-
See words that rhyme with oppugn Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oppugn
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up oppugn? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).