impugnavi

Impugnavi is the Latin verb form representing the first-person singular perfect active indicative of impugno, a first-conjugation verb meaning to attack, assault, or oppose. In extended use, it also covers the sense of challenging or refuting a claim or argument. As a completed past action, impugnavi is commonly translated as “I attacked,” “I challenged,” or “I refuted,” depending on context.

The verb impugno is formed with the present stem impugn- and the perfect tense ending -avi, yielding impugnavi for “I attacked.” It is transitive and typically takes a direct object in the accusative when describing literal assault, e.g., hostem impugnavi “I attacked the enemy.” In figurative use, it governs the thing being attacked or challenged, such as an accusation, argument, or claim; the English verb impugn stems from the same root.

Related forms include impugnare (the present infinitive, “to attack” or “to challenge”), impugnatus sum (the perfect passive) meaning “I was attacked” or “I have been attacked,” and impugnatio (a noun meaning “an attack” or “a challenge”). The term is chiefly found in Latin prose and poetry, especially in legal, rhetorical, and military contexts.

English cognate: impugn. The Latin form impugnavi yields the English verb impugn in its sense of challenging the truth, validity, or integrity of a statement or claim.