debate vs moot point

debate

noun
  • An argument, or discussion, usually in an ordered or formal setting, often with more than two people, generally ending with a vote or other decision. 

  • An informal and spirited but generally civil discussion of opposing views. 

  • A type of literary composition, taking the form of a discussion or disputation, commonly found in the vernacular medieval poetry of many European countries, as well as in medieval Latin. 

  • Discussion of opposing views. 

verb
  • To consider (to oneself), to think over, to attempt to decide 

  • To participate in a debate; to dispute, argue, especially in a public arena. 

moot point

noun
  • An issue that is subject to, or open for, discussion or debate, to which no satisfactory answer is found; originally, one to be definitively determined by an assembly of the people. 

  • An issue regarded as potentially debatable, but no longer practically applicable. Although the idea may still be worth debating and exploring academically, and such discussion may be useful for addressing similar issues in the future, the idea has been rendered irrelevant for the present issue. 

How often have the words debate and moot point occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )