contentious
adj/kənˈtɛn.ʃəs/
Etymology From Middle French contentieux, from Latin contentiōsus (“quarrelsome, perverse”), from contentiō (“contention”), from contendere, past participle contentus (“to contend”). Equivalent to English contention + -ous.
1
Marked by heated arguments or controversy.
- Ukraine, however, will complain long and hard about a contentious second-half incident when Marko Devic's shot clearly crossed the line before it was scrambled away by John Terry, only for the officials to remain unmoved.2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport:
- His essay[…] is likely to draw a furious response from across the party, where [Tony] Blair’s legacy remains highly contentious.2026 May 26, Jessica Elgot, “Tony Blair tells Starmer and rivals: abandon net zero and move closer to Trump”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
2
Given to struggling with others out of jealousy or discord.
- She was not a contentious person as the Other had been; she did not argue and contradict everything I said.2020, Susanna Clarke, Piranesi, Bloomsbury, page 212:
- Derived terms
- contentiously, contentiousness, noncontentious, uncontentious
- Related terms
- contend, contender, contention