Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: controversia, from controversus 'disagreed about', from contro- 'against' + versus 'turned'

controversy

 noun
     
con‧tro‧ver‧sy plural controversies [uncountable and countable]
a serious argument about something that involves many people and continues for a long time:
a political controversy
the controversy surrounding Skinner's theories
cause/provoke/arouse controversy
The judges' decision provoked controversy.
controversy over/about
the controversy over campaign-finance issues
Controversy arose (=began) over the use of the chemicals on crops.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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