Meaning

noun a rationale for dialectical materialism based on change through the conflict of opposing forces

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

originFrom Ancient Greek διαλεκτική (dialektikḗ, “the art of argument through interactive questioning and answering”), from διαλεκτικός (dialektikós, “competent debater”), from διαλέγομαι (dialégomai, “to participate in a dialogue”), from διά (diá, “inter, through”) + λέγειν (légein, “to speak”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0