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Term: ad hominem

Description:

Ad hominem, deriving from Latin, means "to the person" or "against the person." It refers to a type of argument or criticism that attacks an individual's character or personal traits instead of addressing the argument or issue at hand. Ad hominem can be understood as a logical fallacy, as it attempts to discredit someone's viewpoint by attacking them personally rather than engaging in a rational discussion.

Examples:

Part of Speech: Noun

1. The politician used ad hominem attacks against his opponent instead of focusing on the key issues.

2. Ad hominem is often used in debates as a tactic to divert attention from the actual topic of discussion.

Part of Speech: Adjective

1. The ad hominem argument, although fallacious, successfully swayed some voters.

2. It is considered poor form to resort to ad hominem attacks in professional debates.

Part of Speech: Adverb

1. Instead of addressing the counterargument, she responded ad hominem, undermining the credibility of her opponent.

2. His criticism devolved into ad hominem, disregarding the substantive merits of the opposing viewpoint.

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