contentio Latin · revision 9505

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cicero|origins=ine-pro *ten-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''contentiō''' ''f'' (genitive contentiōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[contendō]] “to strain; to contend” with the suffix [[-tiō]]; ⟨contendō⟩ is from [[con-]] and [[tendō]] “to stretch”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC, and the OLD's first citations are from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a stretching, tension, as in Vitruvius; the straining of body or mind, exertion, effort, as in Cicero; competition, rivalry; a conflict, dispute, quarrel; and the setting of things side by side to contrast them, comparison, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it was obstinacy, contention, strife, wrangling.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for a dispute and a lawsuit.^(Niermeyer 1976) British Medieval Latin used it also for antithesis in rhetoric.^(DMLBS) [[en|contention]] (late 14th century, “strife”) came through Old French and directly from Latin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of effort, rivalry and dispute.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of tension.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''contention'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A stretching, [[m|en|tension]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Exertion, effort.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Competition, [[m|en|rivalry]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A dispute, quarrel, [[m|en|contention]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A comparison, contrast, ''(rhetoric)'' [[m|en|antithesis]].^(OLD 2012)^(DMLBS)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A lawsuit.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contentiōsus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[contendō]]

+ * [[tendō]]

+ * [[en|contention]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}