diatribe

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwísder. Ancient Greek διά (diá) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ- (dĭă-) Proto-Indo-European *terh₁-der. Ancient Greek τρῑ́βω (trī́bō) Ancient Greek δῐᾰτρῑ́βω (dĭătrī́bō) Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek δῐᾰτρῐβή (dĭătrĭbḗ)der. Latin diatribader. French diatribebor. English diatribe First attested 1581, borrowed from French diatribe, from Latin diatriba (“learned discussion or discourse”), from Ancient Greek διατριβή (diatribḗ, “way of spending time, lecture”), from διά (diá, “through”) + τρίβω (tríbō, “to waste, wear out”)

1. An abusive, bitter verbal or written attack, criticism or denunciation.

   “to throw a diatribe”

   “The senator was prone to diatribes which could go on for more than an hour.”

2. A prolonged discourse; a long-winded speech.