Describes something that causes a lot of disagreement or arguments. A contentious person often likes to argue, and a contentious topic easily starts debates.
From Latin *contentiosus* meaning 'quarrelsome, argumentative', from *contentio* 'striving, dispute'. It traveled through Old French into English, keeping the sense of strong disagreement.
You can hear the word *contention* hiding inside *contentious*—that’s the clue that it’s about conflict. If a meeting, law, or idea is called contentious, it’s basically a prediction that people are going to fight about it. It’s a polite way to say, 'Get ready, this might turn into a mess.'
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