rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: agere
Latin

agere

drive, set in motion; do

Forms

  • ag-
  • act- — Latin stem of the form meaning ‘done.’
  • -ig- — Used in some Latin compounds.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ag-, ‘drive; lead.’

Note

A root for driving things forward also came to describe performing an action.

19 / 26
adjective

litigious

li-TIJ-us/lɪˈtɪdʒəs/

Inclined toward or marked by lawsuits.

The litigious woman repeatedly brings minor property disputes before a judge.

A repeated small-claims litigant: the same woman takes two different minor property disputes before a judge, insistently pressing each case herself.
Etymology
litLatindispute or lawsuit
+igLatindrive, set in motion; do
+iousLatinfull of, having; characterized by

The roots express the idea of “driving a lawsuit”—actively carrying a dispute forward. The adjective developed from being quarrelsome or fond of disputes to being especially inclined to pursue them in court.

In context

National Geographic65:36
Some of his parishioners absolutely hate him. They've been in court cases with him. They feel he's a very litigious, a very problematic minister.
Witches: Truth Behind the Trials MEGA Episode | National Geographic

More examples

  • The company became notorious for its litigious approach to criticism.
  • Their litigious neighbor sued over the fence twice.
  • An increasingly litigious dispute consumed the association's budget.

Forms

litigious · more litigious · most litigious

litigation noun — the process of bringing a dispute to court

Similar words

argumentative
Argumentative suggests frequent verbal disputes; litigious specifically concerns lawsuits.
contentious
Contentious suggests disagreement or controversy without necessarily involving courts.