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

Broadcom’s litigious techniques to ensure VMware agreements are followed have soured its image among some current and former customers. —ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025

Since Sophie’s father turned litigious, and her first husband became a murderer, bureaucratic records also preserve imprints of her life, even as descendants’ memories grow increasingly faint. —Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025

Trump is a litigious individual who has previously involved this court in challenges to his administration's agenda. —Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025

Not for litigious reasons but for creative reasons. —Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 6 June 2025

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

Rhymes for litigious

• irreligious
• nonreligious
• interreligious
• prestigious
• prodigious
• religious

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