/ ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃl; NAmE ˌkɑːntrəˈvɜːrʃl/ adjective
causing a lot of angry public discussion and disagreement :
a highly controversial topic
a controversial plan to build a new road
Winston Churchill and Richard Nixon were both controversial figures.
OPP non-controversial , uncontroversial
► con·tro·ver·sial·ly / -ʃəli; NAmE / adverb
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from late Latin controversialis , from controversia , from controversus turned against, disputed, from contro- (variant of contra- against) + versus , past participle of vertere to turn.