ad hominem
/ˌæd ˈhɒmɪnem/
attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself
ad hominem in a sentence
“Dismissing her point because she's young is an ad hominem fallacy.”
Origin of ad hominem
Latin ad hominem to the person
What does ad hominem really mean?
An ad hominem swaps the argument for the arguer: instead of answering what was said, it attacks who said it. It is among the most common logical fallacies because it works — discrediting a speaker feels like discrediting their claim, even though the claim stands or falls on its own.
The story behind ad hominem
Latin for "to the person." The label comes from the classical and medieval study of rhetoric and logic, where philosophers catalogued the ways arguments go wrong. It entered English logical vocabulary in the 16th–17th centuries and remains standard in debate, law, and critical thinking.
How to use ad hominem
Use it to name the move precisely: "that's an ad hominem — address the data, not my résumé." It works as noun and adjective ("ad hominem attack"). Note the nuance: pointing out a genuine conflict of interest is not automatically ad hominem; dismissing an argument because of one is.
Related Words
appeal to authority
using an authority figure's opinion as evidence when they lack relevant expertise
appeal to emotion
using emotional manipulation instead of logical arguments
appeal to nature
arguing something is good because it's 'natural'
bandwagon fallacy
arguing something is true because many people believe it
begging the question
assuming the conclusion in the premise; circular reasoning
burden of proof
shifting the responsibility to disprove a claim rather than prove it