public debate vs disputation

public debate and disputation both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
public debate	Yes	No	No	No
disputation	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, public debate and disputation are synonyms defined as:

public debate and disputation: the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)

Other synonyms of public debate include debate.

public debate (noun)	disputation (noun)
the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)	the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)
	a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement