ad hominem*: Meaning and Definition of

ad ho•mi•nem

Pronunciation: (äd hō'mi-nem" Eng. ad hom'&schwa-n&schwam), [key]
— Latin. Latin.
  1. appealing to one's prejudices, emotions, or special interests rather than to one's intellect or reason.
  2. attacking an opponent's character rather than answering his argument.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.