contradictoire

Contradictoire is a French adjective meaning "contradictory" or "involving dispute between opposing sides." In everyday language, it describes statements, arguments, or pieces of evidence that conflict with one another, or situations in which conclusions are inconsistent. In philosophy and logic, the term can refer to the relationship between propositions that cannot both be true at the same time.

The etymology comes from Latin contra "against" and dicere "to say," through French formation, with the sense gradually broadening from opposition in argument to more general notions of inconsistency.

In law, the principle of contradictoire is a procedural guarantee requiring that each party be informed of the case against them, have access to evidence, and be given a fair opportunity to present arguments and challenge the other side. It underpins many civil and criminal procedures in jurisdictions influenced by Roman-Germanic law and is reinforced by human-rights standards, such as the right to a fair trial. Violations may lead to remedies or annulment of decisions.

In logic and semantics, contradictoire concerns the status of propositions that cannot both be true; it is central to the law of non-contradiction. In discourse analysis, the term can denote inconsistent or mutually exclusive claims within a text or argument.