contentious
[ kuhn-ten-shuhs ]
/ kənˈtɛn ʃəs /
adjective
tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome: a contentious crew.
causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy: contentious issues.
Law. pertaining to causes between contending or opposing parties.
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RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
content word, content-addressable storage, contented, contentedly, contention, contentious, contentiously, contentive, contently, contentment, contents
Origin of contentious
1400–50; late Middle English contenciose < Latin contentiōsus, equivalent to contenti(ō) contention + -ōsus -ous
SYNONYMS FOR contentious
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for contentious
British Dictionary definitions for contentious
contentious
/ (kənˈtɛnʃəs) /
adjective
tending to argue or quarrel
causing or characterized by dispute; controversial
law relating to a cause or legal business that is contested, esp a probate matter
Derived Formscontentiously, adverbcontentiousness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for contentious
contentious
c.1500, from Middle French contentieux, from Latin contentiosus "obstinate, quarrelsome," from contentionem (see contend). Related: Contentiously; contentiousness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper