litigation
UK: ˌlɪtɪˈɡeɪʃən | US: ˌlɪtɪˈɡeɪʃən
n. the process of taking legal action; a lawsuit or legal dispute.
litigation = litig<dispute> + ation<noun suffix>
- litig (from Latin litigare, meaning "to dispute" or "to quarrel")
- ation (a noun-forming suffix indicating an action or process, from Latin -atio)
Etymology Origin:
The word "litigation" traces back to the Latin litigare, combining lis (lawsuit) + agere (to drive or conduct). It originally referred to the act of pursuing a legal dispute, reflecting the adversarial nature of legal proceedings. Over time, it evolved into Middle English via Old French, retaining its core meaning of formal legal conflict resolution.
The company faced lengthy litigation over patent infringement.
He avoided litigation by settling the dispute out of court.
The high costs of litigation deter many from pursuing legal action.
The case ended in litigation after negotiations failed.
She specializes in commercial litigation and contract disputes.