DISCUSSION

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does discussion mean? 

• DISCUSSION (noun)
  The noun DISCUSSION has 2 senses:

1. an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic

2. an exchange of views on some topic

  Familiarity information: DISCUSSION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISCUSSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

discourse; discussion; treatment

Context example:

his treatment of the race question is badly biased

Hypernyms ("discussion" is a kind of...):

communicating; communication (the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discussion"):

detail (extended treatment of particulars)

dilation (a lengthy discussion (spoken or written) on a particular topic)

consideration (a discussion of a topic (as in a meeting))

talk (discussion; ('talk about' is a less formal alternative for 'discussion of'))

elaboration; enlargement; expansion (a discussion that provides additional information)

Derivation:

discuss (to consider or examine in speech or writing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An exchange of views on some topic

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

discussion; give-and-take; word

Context example:

we had a word or two about it

Hypernyms ("discussion" is a kind of...):

language; oral communication; speech; speech communication; spoken communication; spoken language; voice communication ((language) communication by word of mouth)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discussion"):

argument; argumentation; debate (a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal)

deliberation ((usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question)

conference; group discussion (a discussion among participants who have an agreed (serious) topic)

panel discussion (discussion of a subject of public interest by a group of persons forming a panel usually before an audience)

post-mortem; postmortem (discussion of an event after it has occurred)

public discussion; ventilation (free and open discussion of (or debate on) some question of public interest)

dialogue; negotiation; talks (a discussion intended to produce an agreement)

Derivation:

discuss (speak with others about (something); talk (something) over in detail; have a discussion)

 Context examples 

Long discussion they had, during the time of winning him, as to whose dog he was.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Almost immediately he launched into a discussion on love.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The patient and I then plunged into a discussion of his case, of which I took exhaustive notes.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"You worship at the shrine of the established," he told her once, in a discussion they had over Praps and Vanderwater.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Mr. Morris resumed the discussion:—As there is no time to lose, I vote we have a look at his house right now.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The excellent papa labored under the delusion that he was, and reveled in long discussions with the kindred spirit, till a chance remark of his more observing grandson suddenly enlightened him.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

March 11 will be your very best day for career talks, including discussions about your compensation and company benefits.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

This feeds into the scholarly discussion of whether the purpose of the statues was exclusively ritualistic, practical or some combination of these.

(Scientists report correlation between locations of Easter Island statues and water resources, Wikinews)

My uncle’s eyes had rested upon it, but his attention had been drawn away by the discussion between Sir Lothian Hume and the referee upon the question of time.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As we pulled over, there was some discussion on the chart.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)