Meaning

noun any formal system of reasoning that arrives at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments

noun a contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their interaction

adjective of or relating to or employing dialectic

originFrom Old French dialectique, from Late Latin dialectica, from Ancient Greek διαλεκτική (dialektikḗ, “the art of argument through interactive questioning and answering”), from διαλεκτικός (dialektikós, “relating to dialogue”), from διαλέγομαι (dialégomai, “to participate in a dialogue”), from διά (diá, “through, across”) + λέγειν (légein, “to speak”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0