Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [kuh n-ten-shuh s]
- /kənˈtɛn ʃəs/
- /kənˈten.ʃəs/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [kuh n-ten-shuh s]
- /kənˈtɛn ʃəs/
Definitions of contentious word
- adjective contentious A contentious issue causes a lot of disagreement or arguments. 3
- graded adjective contentious A contentious person seems to like arguing and disagreeing with other people. 3
- adjective contentious tending to argue or quarrel 3
- adjective contentious causing or characterized by dispute; controversial 3
- adjective contentious relating to a cause or legal business that is contested, esp a probate matter 3
- adjective contentious always ready to argue; quarrelsome 3
Information block about the term
Origin of contentious
First appearance:
before 1400 One of the 24% oldest English words
1400-50; late Middle English contenciose < Latin contentiōsus, equivalent to contenti(ō) contention + -ōsus -ous
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Contentious
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
contentious popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 69% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
contentious usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for contentious
adj contentious
- testy — irritably impatient; touchy.
- antagonistic — If a person is antagonistic to someone or something, they show hatred or dislike towards them.
- combative — A person who is combative is aggressive and eager to fight or argue.
- argumentative — Someone who is argumentative is always ready to disagree or start quarrelling with other people.
- belligerent — A belligerent person is hostile and aggressive.
adjective contentious
- quarrelsome — inclined to quarrel; argumentative; contentious.
- prickly — full of or armed with prickles.
- touchy — apt to take offense on slight provocation; irritable: He is very touchy when he's sick.
- hot-blooded — excitable; impetuous.
- controversial — If you describe something or someone as controversial, you mean that they are the subject of intense public argument, disagreement, or disapproval.
noun contentious
- fire-eater — an entertainer who pretends to eat fire.
- spiky — having a spike or spikes.
- litigiousness — of or relating to litigation.
Antonyms for contentious
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See also
Matching words
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