CONTENTION

competition, contention, rivalry

(noun) the act of competing as for profit or a prize; “the teams were in fierce contention for first place”

contention

(noun) a point asserted as part of an argument

controversy, contention, contestation, disputation, disceptation, tilt, argument, arguing

(noun) a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; “they were involved in a violent argument”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

contention (countable and uncountable, plural contentions)

Argument, contest, debate, strife, struggle.

A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion of strife; a position taken or contended for.

(computing, telecommunications) Competition by parts of a system or its users for a limited resource.

Synonyms

• gainstrife, gainstriving, wrangling

Hyponyms

• (computing) resource contention

Source: Wiktionary

Con*ten"tion, n. Etym: [F. contention, L. contentio. See Contend.]

1. A violent effort or struggle to obtain, or to resist, something; contest; strife. I would my arcontenion. Shak.

2. Strife in words; controversy; altercation quarrel; dispute; as, a bone of contention. Contentions and strivings about the law. Titus iii. 9.

3. Vehemence of endeavor; eagerness; ardor; zeal. An end . . . worthy our utmost contenion to obtain. Rogers.

4. A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion of strife; a position taken or contended for. All men seem agreed what is to be done; the contention is how the subject is to be divided and defined. Bagehot. This was my original contention, and I still maintain that you should abide by your former decision. Jowett.

Syn.

– Struggle; strife; contest; quarrel; combat; conflict; feud; litigation; controversy; dissension; variance; disagreement; debate; competition; emulation.

– Contention, Strife. A struggle between two parties is the idea common to these two words. Strife is a struggle for mastery; contention is a struggle for the possession of some desired object, or the accomplishment of some favorite end. Neither of the words is necessairly used in a bad sense, since there may be a generous strife or contention between two friends as to which shall incur danger or submit to sacrifices. Ordinarily, however, these words denote a struggle arising from bad passions. In that case, strife usually springs from a quarrelsome temper, and contention from, a selfish spirit which seeks its own aggrandizement, or is fearful lest others should obtain too such. Strife has more reference to the manner than to the object of a struggle, while contention takes more account of the end to be gained.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition