'Contentious' definitions:
Definition of 'contentious'
(from WordNet)
adjective
Inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits; "a style described as abrasive and contentious"; "a disputatious lawyer"; "a litigious and acrimonious spirit" [syn: contentious, combative, disputatious, disputative, litigious]
adjective
Involving or likely to cause controversy; "a central and contentious element of the book"- Tim W.Ferfuson
Definition of 'Contentious'
From: GCIDE
- Contentious \Con*ten"tious\, a. [L. contentiosus: cf. F. contentieux.]
- 1. Fond of contention; given to angry debate; provoking dispute or contention; quarrelsome. [1913 Webster]
- Despotic and contentious temper. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Relating to contention or strife; involving or characterized by contention. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
- More cheerful, though not less contentious, regions. --Brougham. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Law) Contested; litigated; litigious; having power to decide controversy. [1913 Webster]
- Contentious jurisdiction (Eng. Eccl. Law), jurisdiction over matters in controversy between parties, in contradistinction to voluntary jurisdiction, or that exercised upon matters not opposed or controverted.
- Syn: Quarrelsome; pugnacious; dissentious; wrangling; litigious; perverse; peevish. -- {Con*ten"tious*ly}, adv. -- {Con*ten"tious*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'contentious'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- aggravating,
- aggravative,
- aggressive,
- annoying,
- antagonistic,
- argumental,
- argumentative,
- battling,
- bellicose,
- belligerent,
- bloodthirsty,
- bloody,
- bloody-minded,
- cat-and-dog,
- cat-and-doggish,
- chauvinist,
- chauvinistic,
- combative,
- controversial,
- dialectic,
- disputatious,
- enemy,
- eristic,
- exasperating,
- exasperative,
- ferocious,
- fierce,
- fighting,
- full of fight,
- hawkish,
- hostile,
- ill-humored,
- inimical,
- irritating,
- jingo,
- jingoish,
- jingoist,
- jingoistic,
- litigious,
- logomachic,
- martial,
- militant,
- militaristic,
- military,
- offensive,
- pilpulistic,
- polemic,
- pro and con,
- provocative,
- pugnacious,
- quarrelsome,
- saber-rattling,
- sanguinary,
- sanguineous,
- savage,
- scrappy,
- soldierlike,
- soldierly,
- trigger-happy,
- truculent,
- unfriendly,
- unpacific,
- unpeaceable,
- unpeaceful,
- warlike,
- warmongering,
- warring