I.a dispute, disputation, debate, discussion, disquisition.
I. In gen. (good prose in sing. and plur.; cf. “for syn.: controversia, concertatio, altercatio, contentio, jurgium, rixa, disputatio): cum quibus omnis fere nobis disceptatio contentioque est,” Cic. Div. 2, 72, 150: “non disceptatio modo, sed etiam altercatio,” Liv. 38, 32; so absol., Cic. Off. 1, 11, 34; id. Deiot. 2, 5: “rationum et firmamentorum contentio adducit in angustum disceptationem,” id. Part. Or. 30, 104; Liv. 27, 5; 32, 40; Quint. 3, 11, 11; 7, 5, 2 al.: “lator ipse legis, cum esset controversia nulla facti, juris tamen disceptationem esse voluit,” Cic. Mil. 9, 23; so, “juris,” Quint. 3, 6, 82: “forenses judiciorum aut deliberationum,” Cic. de Or. 1, 6, 22; cf. Quint. 2, 4, 24: “judicationum,” id. 3, 11, 19 et saep.: “verborum (opp.: directa denuntiatio belli),” Liv. 21, 19: “cogitationum,” Vulg. Rom. 14, 1.—
II. Esp., a decision, judicial award, judgment (very rare): “arbitrorum (coupled with publica judicia),” Quint. 11, 1, 43: “praetoris,” Dig. 2, 15, 8, § 24.