Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Disputation \Dis`pu*ta"tion\, n. [OE. desputeson, disputacion,
   OF. desputeison, F. disputation, fr. L. disputatio. See
   {Dispute}, v. i.]
   1. The act of disputing; a reasoning or argumentation in
      opposition to something, or on opposite sides; controversy
      in words; verbal contest respecting the truth of some
      fact, opinion, proposition, or argument.

   2. A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in
      opposition to each other on some question proposed.

Source : WordNet®

disputation
     n 1: the formal presentation of and opposition to a stated
          proposition (usually followed by a vote) [syn: {debate},
           {public debate}]
     2: a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong
        disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument"
        [syn: {controversy}, {contention}, {contestation}, {disceptation},
         {tilt}, {argument}, {arguing}]