Demurral

/dɪˈmɜːrəl/ noun

Definition

The act of objecting to something or expressing disagreement politely but firmly.

Etymology

From demur (to object) plus the suffix -al, which forms nouns from verbs. Demur comes from Old French demurer, from Latin demorari meaning 'to linger' or 'delay,' which evolved to mean 'to raise objections.'

Kelly Says

In business meetings and courtrooms, a demurral is that professional way of saying 'I disagree' without being rude—it's the formal version of politely pushing back on an idea.

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