Discussion Meaning, Examples & Usage Guide

Meaning 1：exchange of ideas (discussion)

discussion 🔊

/dɪˈskʌʃn/

Talking about something with others to exchange ideas, share information, or find a solution.

Discussion scene with diverse people exchanging ideas around a table

exchange of ideas 🔊

➕

/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ əv aɪˈdɪəz/

A discussion is an act of talking with others in order to exchange thoughts, opinions, or information, often to reach a decision or deeper understanding.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：primary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin dis- 'apart' + quatere 'to shake', meaning to examine thoroughly.

💡 Mnemonic

Dis (apart) + cussion (cushion) → shake apart for stuffing; discussing gets core

📖 Example

Our family had a long discussion around the dinner table about where to go for our summer holiday. 🔊 Our family had a long discussion around the dinner table about where to go for our summer holiday.

🔗 Collocations

have a discussion – to engage in a discussion

discussion group – a group of people who discuss a topic

open discussion – a discussion without restrictions on topics or opinions

🔄 Synonyms

conversation (n.) – an informal talk between two or more people

debate (n.) – a formal discussion on a particular topic, often with opposing arguments

dialogue (n.) – a conversation between two or more people, especially in a literary or dramatic context

🚫 Antonyms

silence (n.) – the absence of speech or discussion

monologue (n.) – a long speech by one person, preventing exchange of ideas

conclusion (n.) – the end or result of a process, opposite to the ongoing exchange of a discussion

🌱 Derivatives

discuss (v.) – to talk about something with others

discussant (n.) – a person who participates in a discussion

discussible (adj.) – capable of being discussed

📖 Cultural Story

Originally a medical term in Latin for 'cutting open', it evolved to mean examining a topic thoroughly, key in academic and legal debates since the Renaissance.