Dictionary
dis•pu•ta•tion
Pronunciation: (dis"pyoo-tā'shun), [key]—
n.
1. the act of disputing or debating; verbal controversy; discussion or debate.
2. an academic exercise consisting of the arguing of a thesis between its maintainer and its opponents.
3. Obs.conversation.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.