Despotic and contentious temper. --Macaulay.
2. Relating to contention or strife; involving or
characterized by contention. --Spenser.
More cheerful, though not less contentious, regions.
--Brougham.
3. (Law) Contested; litigated; litigious; having power to
decide controversy.
{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.