contested
UK: kənˈtɛstɪd | US: kənˈtɛstɪd
adj. disputed or challenged, especially in a legal or competitive context
vt. (past tense of "contest") to challenge or oppose something formally
The word "contest" originates from Latin contestari, meaning "to call to witness" or "to dispute," combining con- (together) and testari (to testify). Over time, it evolved in Old French as contester, retaining the sense of dispute or competition. The suffix -ed marks the past tense or participle form, indicating an action that has been challenged or opposed. The morphemes preserve the original spelling while clearly reflecting the word's logical construction.
The election results were hotly contested by the opposing party.
She contested the will in court, claiming unfair distribution.
The title of champion was contested in a thrilling final match.
His theory was contested by several experts in the field.
The contested land remained under legal scrutiny for years.