Meaning

noun a point asserted as part of an argument

noun a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement

noun the act of competing as for profit or a prize

originFrom Middle English contencion, borrowed from Old French contencion, from Latin contentio, contentionem, from contendō (past participle contentus); equivalent to contend + -tion (similar formation to attention).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0