discussion
UK[dɪˈskʌʃ(ə)n]US[dɪˈskʌʃ(ə)n]
n
the process of talking about something in order to reach a decision or to exchange ideas
n
a conversation or debate about a specific topic
Morpheme Breakdown
dis
cuss
ion
dis
apart
cuss
strike, shake
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'discussion' originates from the latin verb 'discutere', meaning 'to dash to pieces' or 'to shake apart'. this verb is composed of 'dis-' (apart) and 'quatere' (to shake). the literal sense of breaking something apart through violent action evolved metaphorically into the intellectual process of examining an issue by breaking it down into its constituent parts. through old french 'discussion', the term entered middle english, retaining the core idea of a thorough examination, but softening into its modern meaning of a reasoned conversation or debate aimed at resolving a matter.
Analysis
Structure: dis (apart) + cuss (strike, shake) + ion (noun suffix)
dis- (latin prefix, meaning 'apart' or 'in different directions'); cuss (from latin root 'quatere', 'cussus', meaning 'to strike' or 'to shake'); -ion (latin suffix, forming nouns denoting an action or its result)
Examples
the committee will hold a lengthy discussion on the proposed policy changes.
her insightful comments sparked a lively discussion among the audience.
after much discussion, we finally reached a consensus.