adjective
- of, relating to, or characteristic of an elenchus; involving refutation or logical disproof through questioning
Usage: formal; chiefly philosophical
Examples
- The Socratic method employs elenchic questioning to expose contradictions in the interlocutor's beliefs.
- Plato's early dialogues are notable for their elenchic structure, in which Socrates systematically refutes his opponents.
- The philosopher used an elenchic approach to demonstrate the flaws in the argument.
- Elenchic dialogue aims not to provide answers but to reveal the limits of one's knowledge.