litigious

adjective

li·​ti·​gious lə-ˈti-jəs 

li-

1

a

: disputatious, contentious

in a litigious mood

b

: prone to engage in lawsuits

an increasingly litigious society

2

: subject to litigation

not known to be litigious when purchased

—James Muirhead

3

: of, relating to, or marked by litigation

a litigious situation

litigiously adverb

litigiousness noun

Examples of litigious in a Sentence

a very litigious group of people

this litigious age in which we live

Recent Examples on the Web

What the court didn’t mention was the irony of a person filing litigation over being called litigious. —Jack Greiner, The Enquirer, 11 July 2024

Some of that money could later be recouped from any party found responsible for the disaster, but a litigious battle over who is at fault is expected to take years. —Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2024

The catastrophe killed six men fixing potholes on the bridge, launched arduous efforts to clean up what could be the costliest maritime accident ever and prompted an already litigious fight over who will foot the bill. —Hayes Gardner, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2024

Those cargo owners, however, eventually might file lawsuits in an effort to avoid payment — a likely scenario, experts say, that would create more litigation in what already has become a litigious event. —Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 17 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin litigiosus, from litigium dispute, from litigare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Legal Definition

litigious

adjective

li·​ti·​gious li-ˈti-jəs 

1

: prone to engage in lawsuits or legal maneuvers especially to an excessive degree

a litigious pro se prisoner … filed fifty-one cases

—In re Oliver, 682 F.2d 443 (1982)

2

: subject to litigation

acquired only a possible litigious claim

—Wells v. Joseph, 95 So. 2d 843 (1957)

3

: of, relating to, or marked by litigation

litigiously adverb

litigiousness noun