Discussants

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Those actively exchanging viewpoints or arguments in a structured conversation, involved in collaborative analysis, or participating in a formal or informal group discussion
2. Individuals engaged in sharing ideas or opinions during a conversation or debate
3. People taking part in an exchange of thoughts or viewpoints within a dialogue

Etymology: "Discussants" is the plural of "discussant," a word built by adding the suffix "-ant" to "discuss." That suffix has a long pedigree: it descends through Latin and Old French, and it reached English in forms that were already attached to the verb-based nouns and adjectives of medieval speech. The "-ant" ending typically marks a person or thing that performs an action, so a discussant is simply one who takes part in a discussion. The verb "discuss" itself comes from Latin "discutere," meaning to shake apart or examine thoroughly, a sense that persists in the idea of breaking a problem into its parts. The noun is the more modern of the pair, and its plural is most often heard at conferences and panels, where moderators introduce the discussants who will respond to a paper or debate a motion.

Synonyms: discussers, debaters