Etymology
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contentious (adj.)

early 15c., contencios, "characterized by contention;" c. 1500, "quarrelsome, apt to contend," from Latin contentiosus "obstinate, quarrelsome," from contentionem (nominative contentio) "a vigorous struggling, a contest, a fight," noun of action from past-participle stem of contendere (see contend). Related: Contentiously; contentiousness.

Entries linking to contentious

contend (v.)

mid-15c., "engage in rivalry, compete," from Old French contendre and directly from Latin contendere "to stretch out; to shoot, hurl, throw; strive after mentally; measure or try one's strength with, fight, vie with," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + tendere "to stretch" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch"). From 1540s as "to assert, affirm, maintain." Related: Contended; contending.

updated on April 21, 2021

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Dictionary entries near contentious

contend

contender

content

contented

contention

contentious

contentment

contents

conterminous

conterraneous

contessa

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