elench
That part of an argument on which its conclusiveness depends; that which convinces or refutes an antagonist; a refutation.
Reprehension or Elench […] is a Syllogisme, which gathereth a conclusion contrary to the assertion of the respondent, as if a man would defend Medea not to love her childe, because she killed it, another might reason against him in this manner: every Mother loveth her child: but Medea is a Mother: Ergo, Medea loveth her child: the Conclusion of this Syllogisme is contrarie to the first Assertion […]
A specious argument; a sophism.
obsolete
But of these Sophisms and Elenchs of marchandize I skill not […]
Where it comes from
Latin elenchus, from Ancient Greek ἔλεγχος (élenkhos, “refutation, scrutiny”); compare Old French elenche. Doublet of elenchus.
Adapted from the Wiktionary entry elench (CC BY-SA 4.0).