disputant

disputant
    n 1: a person who disputes; who is good at or enjoys controversy
         [syn: {disputant}, {controversialist}, {eristic}]
    

disputant \dis"pu*tant\, a. [L. disputants, p. pr. of disputare:
   cf. F. disputant. See {Dispute}, v. i.]
   Disputing; engaged in controversy. --Milton.
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disputant \dis"pu*tant\, n.
   One who disputes; one who argues in opposition to another;
   one appointed to dispute; a controvertist; a reasoner in
   opposition.
   [1913 Webster]

         A singularly eager, acute, and pertinacious disputant.
                                                  --Macaulay.
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91 Moby Thesaurus words for "disputant":
      Philadelphia lawyer, apologist, arguer, argufier, battler,
      belligerent, belted knight, bickerer, bitter-ender, blade, bravo,
      brawler, bully, bullyboy, casuist, combatant, competitor,
      contender, contestant, controversialist, debater, defendant,
      diehard, disceptator, dissentient, dissident, duelist, enforcer,
      fencer, feuder, fighter, fighting cock, foilsman, gamecock,
      gladiator, goon, gorilla, guardhouse lawyer, hatchet man, hood,
      hoodlum, hooligan, intransigent, irreconcilable, jouster, knight,
      last-ditcher, litigant, logomacher, logomachist, militant, mooter,
      naysayer, negativist, noncooperator, objector, obstructionist,
      obstructive, opposer, oppositionist, pilpulist, plaintiff,
      plug-ugly, polemic, polemicist, polemist, protester, quarreler,
      resister, rioter, rival, rough, rowdy, ruffian, sabreur, scrapper,
      scuffler, squabbler, strong arm, strong-arm man, strong-armer,
      struggler, swashbuckler, sword, swordplayer, swordsman, thug,
      tilter, tough, tussler, wrangler