German word

Streitigkeit

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʃtʁaɪ̯tɪçkaɪ̯t/

Meaning

  • feminine nounargument

Example

Wir hatten gestern eine Streitigkeit.

We had an argument yesterday.

Illustration for Streitigkeit (argument)

More examples

Statt die Streitigkeit vor Gericht zu bringen, suchten sie eine Versöhnung.

Rather than bringing the dispute to court, they sought reconciliation.

Core concept

A disagreement hardens into an ongoing clash between parties, with accusations passing back and forth.

Common phrases

  • offene Streitigkeit

    unsettled dispute

  • schwelende Streitigkeit

    smoldering dispute

  • eine Streitigkeit vor Gericht bringen

    bring a dispute to court

Similar words

Streit: An argument caused by clashing emotions or opinions.
Auseinandersetzung: A serious dispute over positions or points at issue.
Konflikt: A lasting clash arising from conflicting goals or interests.

Definition in German

Streitigkeit ist ein andauernder oder formeller Konflikt zwischen Personen oder Gruppen, oft mit gegenseitigen Vorwürfen.

Word origin

The noun Streitigkeit comes from the adjective streitig, meaning contentious, combined with the abstract-noun suffix -keit.

Usage tips

  • In ordinary conversation, Streit often sounds more natural for a quarrel, while Streitigkeit suits formal or legal contexts.

Other meanings

  • disputenoun
  • controversynoun

Opposites

Related words

  • Streitschriftpolemicnoun
  • streitlustigcontentiousadjective

Word lists with this word