Etymology of the English word controversy
the English word
controversyderived from the Latin word
controversia (controversy, dispute; debate; turning against; ))
derived from the Latin word
versus (line, verse; furrow)
derived from the Latin word
vertere (to turn; turn, turn around; change)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*wer-using the Latin prefix
contra-derived from the Latin word
contraderived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*kom (near, with, together)
derived from the Latin word
controversus (controversial, debatable, disputed)
Date
The earliest known usage of controversy in English dates from the 14th century.
Derivations in English
controvertCognates
Dutch
controverse, French
controverse, German
Kontroverse, Italian
controversia, Norwegian
kontrovers, Spanish
controversia, Swedish
kontroversUsage
Word found in Modern English
