Which logical fallacy means to attack the character of your opponent rather than their arguments?

The story behind the answer

Ad hominem is correct because it attacks the person making the argument—their character, motives, or traits—instead of addressing the argument’s logic or evidence. This derails rational discussion by shifting focus from claims to personal insults or irrelevant circumstances. The term is Latin for “to the person,” reflecting how the attack is aimed at the individual rather than their reasoning.

Remember it as “aimed at the human.” It’s distinct from other fallacies: tu quoque (“you too”) accuses hypocrisy, post hoc ergo propter hoc mistakes sequence for causation, and argumentum ad populum appeals to popularity. Spotting ad hominem helps keep debates on track: challenge ideas, not people.