Ad nauseam is a Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 term used to describe an argument

Argument

In philosophy and logic, an argument is an attempt to persuade someone of something, or give evidence or reasons for accepting a particular conclusion.Argument may also refer to:-Mathematics and computer science:...

 which has been continuing "to [the point of] nausea

Nausea

Nausea , is a sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach with an involuntary urge to vomit. It often, but not always, precedes vomiting...

". For example, the sentence, "This topic has been discussed ad nauseam", signifies that the topic in question has been discussed extensively, and that those involved in the discussion have grown tired of it.

Etymology

This term is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as:

"Argumentum ad nauseam or argument from repetition or argumentum ad infinitum

Ad infinitum

Ad infinitum is a Latin phrase meaning "to infinity."In context, it usually means "continue forever, without limit" and thus can be used to describe a non-terminating process, a non-terminating repeating process, or a set of instructions to be repeated "forever," among other uses...

is an argument made repeatedly (possibly by different people) until nobody cares to discuss it any more. This may sometimes, but not always, be a form of proof by assertion

Proof by assertion

Proof by assertion, sometimes informally referred to as proof by repeated assertion, is a logical fallacy in which a proposition is repeatedly restated regardless of contradiction. Sometimes this may be repeated until challenges dry up, at which point it is asserted as fact due to its not being...

".

In popular culture

"Ad Nauseam" is the longstanding Private Eye

Private Eye

Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...

section on the U.K.'s advertising industry.

In the early 2000s, "Ad Nauseam" was a short segment hosted by Steve Carell

Steve Carell

Steven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...

 for multiple seasons on The Daily Show

The Daily Show

The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...

in which television commercials were humorously critiqued.

Comedy partners Derek and Clive

Derek and Clive

Derek and Clive is a double act of comedic characters created by Dudley Moore and Peter Cook in the 1970s. The performances were captured on the records Derek and Clive , Derek and Clive Come Again , and Derek and Clive Ad Nauseam , as well as in a film documentary, Derek and Clive Get the Horn...

 released an album in 1978 entitled Ad Nauseam

Derek and Clive Ad Nauseam

Derek and Clive Ad Nauseam is the third and final recording made by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore featuring their characters Derek and Clive. It also charts the breakup of Cook and Moore's partnership....

.

Ad Nauseam is the title of the second full-length album by UK Death Metal band The Rotted

The Rotted

-History:The band was formed from the ashes of death metal / grindcore ensemble Gorerotted by ex-members Ben McCrow, Tim Carley, and Phil Wilson, along with Gian Pyres and Nate Gould due to a musical progression and a desire for less limiting lyrical themes: the band themselves say that The...

, released 31st October 2010 on Candlelight Records

Candlelight Records

Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...

.

See also

• List of Latin phrases
• Ad infinitum
  Ad infinitum
  Ad infinitum is a Latin phrase meaning "to infinity."In context, it usually means "continue forever, without limit" and thus can be used to describe a non-terminating process, a non-terminating repeating process, or a set of instructions to be repeated "forever," among other uses...
  
  

• Ad libitum
  Ad libitum
  Ad libitum is Latin for "at one's pleasure"; it is often shortened to "ad lib" or "ad-lib"...
  
  
• Big Lie
  Big Lie
  The Big Lie is a propaganda technique. The expression was coined by Adolf Hitler, when he dictated his 1925 book Mein Kampf, about the use of a lie so "colossal" that no one would believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously." Hitler asserted the technique was...
  
   (propaganda
  Propaganda
  Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
  
  technique)