Dictionary

contentious en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /kənˈtɛn.ʃəs/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *tend- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *téndeti Proto-Italic *tendō Latin tendō Latin contendō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin contentiō Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₃édosder.? Proto-Italic *-ŏ̄dsos? Old Latin -ōssus Latin -ōsus Latin contentiōsus Middle French contentieux English contentious From Middle French contentieux, from Latin contentiōsus (“quarrelsome, perverse”), from contentiō (“contention”), from contendere, past participle contentus (“to contend”). Equivalent to English contention + -ous.

Meanings

1. Marked by heated arguments or controversy.
   • 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:
   • 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:
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:

Forms

Deriveds

contentiousness · uncontentious · noncontentious · contentiously

Relateds

contender · contend · contention

Synonyms

squabbly · disputatious · logomachic · truculent · strifeful · contentious · fratchety · discordant · belligerent · quarrelsome · litigious · pugnacious · agonistic · fractious · belligerent · bellicose · warlike · pettifogging · assaultive · aggressive · bellicose · bangsome · disputative · quarrelous · quarrelsome · factious · militaristic · rantankerous · argumentative · philopolemical · antagonistic · unpacific · martial · philopolemic · fratchy · debateful · combative

Translations (88)

ru придирчивый (given to struggling) · fr bagarreur (given to struggling) · nl aangevochten (marked by controversy) · es provocador (given to struggling) · fr controversé (marked by controversy) · pl sporny (marked by controversy) · pl kłótliwy (given to struggling) · de kontrovers (marked by controversy) · sv omstridd (marked by controversy) · es camorrista (given to struggling) · ka საკამათო (marked by controversy) · es pendenciero (given to struggling) · it provocatore (given to struggling) · cy dadleuol (marked by controversy) · es conflictivo (given to struggling) · fr combatif (given to struggling) · de umstritten (marked by controversy) · mi whakawehewehe (marked by controversy) · hu veszekedő (given to struggling) · no omstridt (marked by controversy) · ru спо́рный (marked by controversy) · nl strijdlustig (given to struggling) · ar مُثِير لِلْجَدَل (marked by controversy) · fr querelleur (given to struggling) · fi kiistanalainen (marked by controversy) · uk спі́рний (marked by controversy) · uk приче́пливий (given to struggling) · fi riidanhaluinen (given to struggling) · kk таласты (marked by controversy) · ru дискуссионный (marked by controversy) · fi riitaisa (given to struggling) · fr provocateur (given to struggling) · ru вздорный (given to struggling) · nl controversieel (marked by controversy) · mi kūraruraru (marked by controversy) · de streitlustig (given to struggling) · hu pörlekedő (given to struggling) · es controvertido (marked by controversy) · hu vitatott (marked by controversy) · cmn 有爭議 /有争议 (marked by controversy) · bg спорен (marked by controversy) · la contentiōsus (given to struggling) · uk зади́рливий (given to struggling) · bg свадлив (given to struggling) · fr agressif (given to struggling) · kk тартысты (marked by controversy) · tr tartışmalı (marked by controversy) · sv bråkig (given to struggling) · de provokativ (given to struggling) · de zänkisch (given to struggling) · it bellicoso (given to struggling) · grc φιλόνεικος (given to struggling) · fr chamailleur (given to struggling) · tr mücâdeleci (marked by controversy) · lt ginčytinas (marked by controversy) · tr kavgacı (marked by controversy) · ru любящий спо́рить (given to struggling) · tr çekişmeli (marked by controversy) · pt controverso (marked by controversy) · no kontroversiell (marked by controversy) · mi ahitere (marked by controversy) · da omtvistet (marked by controversy) · es belicoso (given to struggling) · nl agressief (given to struggling) · hu vitás (marked by controversy) · nl omstreden (marked by controversy) · es polémico (marked by controversy) · fr batailleur (given to struggling) · pt conflituoso (given to struggling) · cs sporný (marked by controversy) · uk дискусі́йний (marked by controversy) · fr belliqueux (given to struggling) · ka სადავო (marked by controversy) · da omstridt (marked by controversy) · de streitbar (given to struggling) · pl kontrowersyjny (marked by controversy) · it aggressivo (given to struggling) · ga conspóideach (marked by controversy) · ca contenciós (marked by controversy) · pl swarliwy (given to struggling) · es contencioso (marked by controversy) · ca contenciós (given to struggling) · it controverso (marked by controversy) · de strittig (marked by controversy) · sv omtvistad (marked by controversy) · ca controvertit (marked by controversy) · kk даулы (marked by controversy) · de streitsüchtig (given to struggling)