Confute

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /kÉ™nfjuːt/

Origin

From Middle French confuter, from Latin confūtāre.

Full definition of confute

Verb

1. (transitive, now rare) To show (something or someone) to be false or wrong; to disprove or refute.
• 1593, Henry Peacham, The Garden of Eloquence:Procatalepsis is a forme of speech by which the Orator perceiving aforehand what might be objected against him, and hurt him, doth confute it before it be spoken ....
• 1644, John Milton, Aeropagitica:bad books ... to a discreet and judicious Reader serve in many respects to discover, to confute, to forewarn, and to illustrate.