Widerlegen
Example: Der Wissenschaftler konnte die falsche Theorie leicht widerlegen.
Definition
"Widerlegen" means to prove a statement, theory, or argument to be false or incorrect by presenting evidence or reasoning that contradicts it, often used in philosophy and science to demonstrate the invalidity of a claim.
Etymology
The word "widerlegen" comes from the German prefix "wider-" meaning 'against' and the verb "legen" meaning 'to lay' or 'to put.' Together, "widerlegen" literally means 'to lay against,' which figuratively developed into 'to refute' or 'to disprove.' Did you know? This combination vividly suggests placing an opposing argument directly against the original one to nullify it.
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"Widerlegen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used words.
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